The SIANI expert group on Wild Foods in Asia recently held a first meeting to plan its activities. Over the coming year, they will engage in research, documentation, and knowledge-sharing on wild foods and traditional crops. Many activities will take place at the village level, primarily in India and the Philippines.
The expert group on wild foods is led by Non-Timber Forest Products Exchange Programme Asia (NTFP-EP) and will build on NTFP’s extensive network in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The inception meeting attracted experts and practitioners from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, who will contribute to the development of the project. They were joined by representatives from SIANI and the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation.
In her introduction, NTFP-EP’s Executive Director, Femy Pinto, highlighted the importance of wild foods for forest-dependent people. Yet, the participants testified that access to wild foods is increasingly threatened, primarily for two reasons. Firstly, knowledge is fading within rural and Indigenous communities – fewer people are learning about traditional food systems, which could result in the loss of knowledge passed down through generations.
Secondly, wild foods have become less available due to deforestation, climate change, and shifting consumption patterns. An underlying cause is the growing interest in the mass production and commercialisation of wild foods and traditional crops by the health and beauty industries. Anne Lasimbang of PACOS Trust provided an example:
“For us here in Borneo, Sabah, and Sarawak, Malaysia, wild food remains an integral part of the Indigenous community’s diet, but we are also facing similar issues due to deforestation.”
NTFP-EP is working to counter these negative trends, and the SIANI expert group contributes by collaborating with local communities to explore new ways to revitalise traditional knowledge. Villagers and researchers will also work together to document key food species and increase the cultivation of traditional crops. The inception meeting discussed the scope of the project, logistical preparations, and plans for village-level activities in India, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The aim is to share insights between villages in different countries.
One important initiative for knowledge exchange is the Adukkam Resource Centre and Wild Food Nursery in India, which was presented by Madhu Ramnath, the Country Coordinator of NTFP-EP India and coordinator of the expert group:
“The goal is to create a living repository of traditional food knowledge, where communities can document and share their insights.”
The expert group’s first phase, from February to May, focuses on activities at the village level, including baseline surveys and participatory research to identify the next steps. Potential initiatives could include a nursery or demonstration plots to enhance local food systems. Likewise, community engagement activities such as food festivals, games with the youth, or interactions with local schools could further strengthen interest in and awareness of wild foods.