Author(s):

Lal Ratnakar Singh and Varsha Rani

Abstract: Jharkhand State of India is one of the most biodiversity rich regions of India having three different agro-climatic sub zones and more than 30% area covered under forests. Due to these diverse physiographic and climate conditions, biodiversity plays a significant role in providing food and nutritional security to the local tribal and other communities. The forest area is very rich in the availability of wild leafy vegetables. These edible leafy vegetable, most of those come as seasonal weeds, are the chief source of food and nutrition to the local inhabitants as well as for the fringe villages of the forests. The edible leafy weeds are not only available in the forest area but also these are available in plenty on marshy border habitat of ponds, watersides of crop fields, its border areas, waste land, and cultivated land. The present study was undertaken to explore the natural food environment of the Jharkhand, having several tribal communities, specifically with respect to seasonal availability, use, and traditional knowledge of wild leafy indigenous foods. The diversity of wild leafy vegetables found in Jharkhand covers 105 species of 77 genera and 48 families.

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