LOCAL PREFERENCES, STATUS TRENDS, AND ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF KEY MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS IN COMMUNITY FORESTS OF KAVREPALANCHOWK DISTRICT, NEPAL

Pradeep Raj Sitaula , Pratibha Sharma , Krishna Prasad Oli

Medicinal and aromatic plants; Community forestry; Non-timber forest products; Preference ranking; Kavrepalanchowk; Nepal; Rural livelihoods

Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) are vital for rural livelihoods and biodiversity in Nepal's Himalayan region, yet unsustainable harvesting threatens many species despite community forestry efforts. This study examines local preferences, conservation status trends, and economic contributions of major MAPs in seven community forests of Kavrepalanchowk district, central Nepal. Data were collected through household surveys (n=55), focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and preference ranking exercises in 2007–2008. The Friedman two-way ANOVA test validated ranking differences (χ² = 24.299, df = 8, p = 0.002). Results identified Sugandhawal (Valeriana jatamansi), Pakhanved (Bergenia ciliata), Chiraito (Swertia chirayita), and Kurilo (Asparagus racemosus) as the top four preferred species. Status trends showed marked declines over the prior 20 years due to overexploitation, with recent improvements attributed to community management. Only 13% of households collected MAPs, contributing an average of NRs 11,355 (~US$150 at the time) per collector annually, representing about 6.4% of household income. Market systems were dominated by middlemen, resulting in low collector prices and limited value addition. Findings highlight the potential for domestication and cultivation of high-ranked species to enhance sustainable livelihoods and conservation in community forests. Recommendations include targeted training, inventory-based harvesting, and cooperative marketing to reduce dependency on wild collection and improve equity. This site-specific evidence supports policy for integrating MAPs into community forestry operational plans in the mid-hills of Nepal.

Published Paper   E-Certificate

"LOCAL PREFERENCES, STATUS TRENDS, AND ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF KEY MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS IN COMMUNITY FORESTS OF KAVREPALANCHOWK DISTRICT, NEPAL", IJSDR - International Journal of Scientific Development and Research (www.IJSDR.org), ISSN:2455-2631, Vol.11, Issue 3, page no.a495-a500, March-2026, Available :https://ijsdr.org/papers/IJSDR2603057.pdf

Volume 11 Issue 3, March-2026

Pages : a495-a500

Paper Reg. ID: IJSDR_307755

Published Paper Id: IJSDR2603057

Downloads: 000307

Research Area: Science All

Country: Brookings, South Dakota, United States

Published Paper PDF: https://ijsdr.org/papers/IJSDR2603057

Published Paper URL: https://ijsdr.org/viewpaperforall?paper=IJSDR2603057

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56975/ijsdr.v11i3.307755

ISSN: 2455-2631 | IMPACT FACTOR: 9.15 Calculated By Google Scholar | ESTD YEAR: 2016

An International Scholarly Open Access Journal, Peer-Reviewed, Refereed Journal Impact Factor 9.15 Calculate by Google Scholar and Semantic Scholar | AI-Powered Research Tool, Multidisciplinary, Monthly, Multilanguage Journal Indexing in All Major Database & Metadata, Citation Generator

Publisher: IJSDR(IJ Publication) Janvi Wave

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License and The Open Definition