Manzoor Muhammad, Ahmad Mushtaq, Gillani Syed Waseem, Aziz Muhammad Abdul, Pieroni Andrea, Waheed Muhammad, Sohail Amir, Hashem Abeer, Almutairi Khalid F, Abd-Allah Elsayed Fathi
Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics, and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice, Italy.
J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2025 Aug 25;21(1):58. doi: 10.1186/s13002-025-00805-0.
In the mountainous region of Kashmir, wild food plants (WFPs) are vital to traditional food systems and security. Ethnic communities possess rich foraging practices; however, current sociocultural and environmental impacts may affect the transmission of local plant knowledge among younger generations. This study explores traditional foraging practices and provides a cross-cultural analysis of five groups: Gujjar, Bakarwal, Lone, Syed, and Mughal. It investigates gender-based knowledge, intergenerational dynamics of local plant knowledge, and WFP knowledge among various age groups.
Data were collected from 191 informants through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions from March to September 2024. Factor analysis was conducted to analyse perceived threats to WFPs, and a Venn diagram illustrating WFP consumption patterns across groups was created using OriginPro and R software.
A total of 63 species were recorded, including 11 fungal species and 52 WFPs. The analysis revealed diverse consumption patterns, with the Gujjar group consuming the most at 59 species, while the Bakarwal group used only 20. Three distinct wild food plant-based ingredients not previously mentioned in the literature were identified: Lagotis cashmeriana (Bakarwal), Fagopyrum cymosum, and Armillaria mellea (Gujjar). The gender-based knowledge analysis shows that women possess more extensive knowledge about WFPs than men, as they frequently engage in harvesting, consuming, and preparing these plants. Participants aged 18-35 accounted for 21.99% of the knowledge and reported on 19 WFPs, primarily from the Gujjar and Bakarwal groups. Cultural transformation among communities has impacted the core body of knowledge, historically transmitted through storytelling during gatherings and events. However, sociocultural changes have affected social structures, impacting the sharing of traditional plant knowledge.
The commodification and mobility of food ingredients have altered local practices, particularly in preparing Dryopteris, Diplazium, Pteridium, and Morchella. Preserving biocultural heritage and promoting sustainable foraging practices can enhance economic growth, food security, and rural development by safeguarding plant knowledge and encouraging commercial cultivation.
在克什米尔山区，野生可食用植物对传统食物系统和食品安全至关重要。少数民族群体拥有丰富的觅食习俗；然而，当前的社会文化和环境影响可能会影响当地植物知识在年轻一代中的传承。本研究探索传统觅食习俗，并对古吉拉特、巴卡尔瓦尔、洛恩、赛义德和莫卧儿五个群体进行跨文化分析。它调查了基于性别的知识、当地植物知识的代际动态以及不同年龄组之间的野生可食用植物知识。
2024年3月至9月，通过半结构化访谈和焦点小组讨论，从191名受访者那里收集数据。进行因子分析以分析对野生可食用植物的感知威胁，并使用OriginPro和R软件创建一个维恩图，展示各群体野生可食用植物的消费模式。
共记录了63个物种，包括11种真菌物种和52种野生可食用植物。分析揭示了不同的消费模式，古吉拉特群体消费的物种最多，为59种，而巴卡尔瓦尔群体仅使用20种。确定了三种文献中此前未提及的独特的基于野生可食用植物的成分：拉戈蒂斯雪灵芝（巴卡尔瓦尔群体）、金荞麦和蜜环菌（古吉拉特群体）。基于性别的知识分析表明，女性对野生可食用植物的了解比男性更广泛，因为她们经常参与这些植物的采摘、食用和准备。18至35岁的参与者占知识的21.99%，报告了19种野生可食用植物，主要来自古吉拉特和巴卡尔瓦尔群体。社区中的文化变革影响了历史上通过聚会和活动中的故事讲述传承的核心知识体系。然而，社会文化变化影响了社会结构，进而影响了传统植物知识的共享。
食材的商品化和流动性改变了当地习俗，尤其是在处理鳞毛蕨、双盖蕨、蕨菜和羊肚菌方面。保护生物文化遗产并促进可持续觅食习俗，可以通过保护植物知识和鼓励商业种植来促进经济增长、食品安全和农村发展。
