In celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity, Aaranyak, a premier biodiversity conservation organisation, partnered with Chandrasing Rongpi Memorial High School and Pirbi, a biodiversity business initiative, to host an exhibition and competition on ‘Wild Edibles and Associated Traditional Knowledge’. The event took place on May 22 in Chandrasing Roongpi village, Kohora, Karbi Anglong.
The exhibition aimed to raise awareness among women about the rich biodiversity of their surroundings, emphasising the importance of traditional knowledge and the declining trend of wild edibles, which include vegetables, fruits, medicinal plants, and tubers.
Thirty indigenous women from five villages—Phumen Engti, Chandrasing Rongpi, Englepathar, Khailun Terang, and Sarbura Singnar—participated in the event. The event began with a welcome speech followed by an inspiring inaugural address by Chief Guest Dibyajyoti Doley, Divisional Officer, Dept. of Soil Conservation, Kohora Division, Karbi Anglong. Mr. Doley remarked, “Preserving and conserving is an integral part of human nature, so we should always take care of our biodiversity; if not, life on Earth will be difficult.” Other notable guests included Moniram Rongpi, President of SMC, CRMHS, Rupsing Engti, Range Officer (In-charge), Dept. of Soil Conservation, Kohora Division, Bapuram Engti, a village elder, and Aaranyak’s Dr. Firoz Ahmed and Dr. Jayanta Kr Sarma, who motivated the participants.
The exhibition showcased wild edibles collected by the women, who shared their traditional knowledge about each item, including flowering seasons and natural habitats. A total of 101 species of wild edibles and herbs were displayed. The women had gathered these edibles from their village and community forests, and the event recorded detailed information about their names, environments, uses, and current statuses.
During an interactive session led by Dr. Sarma, participants discussed various rare wild edibles, medicinal plants, and their properties. An assessment of interest in ex-situ conservation of these rare and disappearing species was also conducted, with many women expressing a strong desire to preserve their food biodiversity for future generations. This was followed by discussions on economic and educational opportunities and strategic decision-making for different livelihood options. Four women from Phumen Engti village and Englepathar village committed to promoting basic education among women in their villages.
Chandrasing Rongpi village won the first prize in the competition, followed by Sarbura Singnar in second place, and Phumen Engti in third. Consolation prizes were awarded to Khailun Terang and Englepathar.
Participant Moina Engtipi from Khailun Terang village shared, “Events like this are very informative and provide us learning opportunities related to wild edibles and their value in Karbi tradition and culture.” Another participant, Kave Rongpipi, added that the event allowed them to learn and share information about many unknown herbs, their uses, and disappearing trends, stressing their benefits for the community.
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Dr Sarma expressed, “Great learning from the women participants on over 100 wild edible plants who educated us about the niche environment of each of the plants, their phenology, traditional Karbi culinary, health benefits, and observations on availability. It was an open university where indigenous Karbi women were professors.”
The celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity and the wild edibles and herbs collection competition was a resounding success. It inspired participants to conserve nature and their surrounding forests for biodiversity access. The event’s success was attributed to the dedication of Aaranyak team members and local communities.
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