Yartsagunbu: transforming people's livelihoods in the Western Himalaya
Article
Article Title | Yartsagunbu: transforming people's livelihoods in |
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ERA Journal ID | 3125 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Yadav, Pramod Kumar (Author), Saha, Subhajit (Author), Mishra, Ashish Kumar (Author), Kapoor, Mohnish (Author), Kaneria, Manendra (Author), Kaneria, Manish (Author), Dasgupta, Sabyasachi (Author) and Shrestha, Uttam Babu (Author) |
Journal Title | Oryx: journal of fauna and flora international |
Journal Citation | 53 (2), pp. 247-255 |
Number of Pages | 9 |
Year | 2019 |
Publisher | Cambridge University Press |
Place of Publication | United Kingdom |
ISSN | 0030-6053 |
1365-3008 | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605318000674 |
Web Address (URL) | https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/oryx/article/yartsagunbu-transforming-peoples-livelihoods-in-the-western-himalaya/3AF270854F25558AD25CD1838E48C3F5 |
Abstract | Rural communities in developing countries extract provisioning ecosystem services from the natural environment to meet their subsistence needs, generate cash income and create employment opportunities. Caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis, known as yartsagunbu in Tibet and in the literature on this subject, is a medicinal resource extracted by the mountain communities of the Himalaya. Studies of the contribution of the fungus to local livelihoods in the Indian Himalaya are scarce. We investigated trade and harvest and analysed the contribution of caterpillar fungus to household economies in 32 villages in Dhauliganga Valley, Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, in the Western Himalaya. Caterpillar fungus harvesting has become an integral part of local livelihoods in the study area, and on average contributes c. 74% of household cash income. The majority of harvesters perceived that harvesting had become more difficult during 2010–2015 as a result of competition and a decline in abundance of the species. The mean annual per capita harvest declined by 54 pieces during 2011–2015. Increasing harvesting and trade, coupled with the dependency of local communities on the fungus, may result in greater extraction of the resource for short-term economic benefits, and could eventually lead to depletion and ecological damage. Harvesting of the fungus has already created environmental, legal and social challenges, although it has become a lucrative livelihood opportunity. The ongoing decline of the fungus threatens local livelihoods. Good governance and livelihood security should be integrated with biodiversity conservation when devising government policies and plans for sustainable management of the caterpillar fungus. |
Keywords | Biosphere Reserve, caterpillar fungus, ecosystem services, Himalaya, non-timber forest products Ophiocordyceps sinensis, yartsagunbu |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 419999. Other environmental sciences not elsewhere classified |
410401. Conservation and biodiversity | |
Public Notes | Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions. |
Byline Affiliations | Centre for Integration of Conservation and Developmental Accountability, India |
Conservation and Livelihood Programme, India | |
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, India | |
Global Tiger Forum, India | |
Forest Research Institute, India | |
Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, India | |
Institute for Agriculture and the Environment | |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q4zx9/yartsagunbu-transforming-people-s-livelihoods-in-the-western-himalaya
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