Shankhmadamma is having lunch with Dundamma on the sun-lit verandah of her modest house in Keeranhola podu, a tribal settlement in Karnataka. The house, a bright shade of blue, has large patches of paint chipped off, exposing the bare concrete underneath. One of the youngest members of the podu (small settlement), Manvit, lingers nearby, occasionally nibbling on a slice of white bread while intently focused on a motley assortment of toys: a long bamboo pole, and an oblong stone he imagines as both a car and a mobile phone.

Shankhmadamma’s plate has a heap of white rice mixed with bele (dal) sambar, lending it a shade of brown. She’s engrossed in a conversation with Dundamma who grew up in Keeranhola podu, a settlement of the Soliga tribe in Male Mahadeshwara Hills of the southern state, but got married into another. She often has lunch at the podu which is not very far from the Lantana Craft Centre established by Bengaluru-based research organisation Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE). The two women, presumably in their late 60s, earn a living at the Centre, working as craftspeople. Here, the stalks of invasive plant Lantana camara are harvested from the forest, processed and used to make furniture and handicrafts.

The Soligas, a centuries-old aboriginal forest tribe primarily residing in Karnataka and parts of Tamil Nadu, are involved in this craft. In Karnataka forest department projects, aimed at managing invasive plant species, frequently employ indigenous groups such as the Soligas and Kurubas for their unique skills in navigating forests and handling thorny, bushy plants such as Lantana.

Seasonal greens

It is late July, the much-anticipated Mungaru or monsoon season for the Soligas, when seasonal mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and wild plants sprout and are harvested. These mushrooms and wild food plants have traditionally provided essential nutrition to the forest-dwelling Soligas, who previously had minimal interaction with the outside world.

When asked why she didn’t prepare soppu saaru (a curry of mixed greens), a staple in the Soliga diet, Shankhmadamma says she simply didn’t have time to look for soppu. However, bele (dal) is always available, as the state government supplies the Soligas with nutritional kits to address malnutrition in the community, in addition to the free grains and essentials provided through the public distribution system.

She washes her plate and heads to a small plot of land adjacent to her house, returning with a handful of wild greens and berries: Anne soppu (flamingo feather), Kolake soppu (Indian borage), and Sundekai (Turkey berry). “We often make saaru with these. It is the season now,” says Shankhmadamma. She points to a thorny plant with round fruit — Gulkai (wild eggplant) — as another seasonal favourite.

The Soligas are a prominent tribal group in South India who made history in 2010 when 25 Soliga gram sabhas successfully fought for and secured Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR). This significant achievement marked a milestone for an indigenous community whose lives and livelihoods have been closely linked to the forest.

Community Forest Resource Rights provides numerous benefits, including land titles, access to forest land, biodiversity, water bodies, grazing areas, ownership and usage rights for Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), and rights to intellectual property and traditional knowledge. This legal recognition has ensured their continued access to wild food plants, many of which grow within the forests.

Research consistently highlights the Soligas’ reliance on wild food plants for nutrition. For example, a 2022 study emphasises the critical role of wild berries, tubers, mushrooms, the shifting cultivation of millets, legumes, and vegetables within the forests, as well as small game hunting in meeting the food and subsistence needs of the Soligas.

Over time, changes have significantly impacted the Soliga community, especially with the implementation of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, which further popularised the fortress conservation model, where it is believed that protected areas could be conserved better without human interference. This approach alienated forest-dwelling adivasis from their traditional hamlets.

Experts also point to factors such as agricultural intensification, forest degradation, the exponential growth of invasive species, crop depredation by wildlife, and a lack of interest among youth in maintaining traditional lifestyles as contributing to the declining dependence on wild food plants.

These changes have had a direct implication on the health of the tribal community. A 2017 study examining the nutritional and health status of displaced Soliga children aged 6-10, who had access to the government midday meal scheme, revealed concerning results. The study found that 91.4% of the children were anaemic, with 9.9% exhibiting severe anaemia and 74.3% showing moderate anaemia. Additionally, a higher proportion of girls were more severely anaemic than boys. “Remarkably, about 94.3% of children with a normal BMI were anaemic,” the paper notes.

Jai Prabhakar, the lead investigator of the study and an assistant professor of anthropology at the Centre for Multi-disciplinary Development Research (CMDR) in Dharwad, explains that foraging for wild foods has traditionally been a crucial activity for the Soligas. He speculates that one of the reasons for anaemia among displaced children could be the cessation of foraging after their displacement. “We found that the midday meal was insufficient for complete nutrition. Once they were relocated from the forest, foraging ceased, which may have negatively impacted the health of the children,” he says.

Foraging tradition

An analysis of wild food plant usage in India reveals a long history of reliance on wild edibles for food security and nutrition, with around 1400 plant varieties from 184 families being consumed across the country.

The 2020 paper, by researchers from the Center for Studies in Ethnobiology, Biodiversity, and sustainability (CEiBa), Malda, cites the Food and Agriculture Organization (2010), which highlights that nearly 30 domesticated species account for a significant portion of dietary diversity, while just three primary cereal grains—rice, wheat, and maize—provide more than half of the world’s calorie intake. This underscores the fact that thousands of edible species remain wild or semi-wild, having been overlooked during the domestication process. However, these underutilised edible plants hold the potential to improve our food systems, making them more nutritious, sustainable, and resilient to climate change.

Conservation biologist Harisha R.P. of ATREE, who has conducted extensive research on wild food plants foraged by the Soligas, identified 130 such species in his Ph.D. thesis. He reports that local communities in the MM Hills forest utilise 123 plants for food, 68 species for medicine, 32 species for agricultural and construction purposes, 14 species for cash income, and 26 species for spiritual and cultural activities.

Wild greens such as Anagone soppu (Sessile joyweed) play an important role in the diet of pregnant Soliga women, according to Harisha. In addition to its nutritional benefits, the Soligas use the leaves of this plant to combat anaemia, jaundice, night blindness, piles, and infertility. The plant is also valued for its ability to strengthen the nervous system, boost hair growth, and enhance breast milk production in lactating mothers, he writes in a column.

Soliga scholar at ATREE Madegowda C. from B.R. Hills concurs, noting that certain conditions such as sickle cell anaemia have historically been prevalent among the Soligas. “We relied heavily on fruits like Nerale (jamun) to manage this condition. Unfortunately, we are no longer able to access this fruit as frequently as we did in the past,” he says.

While the Soligas have access to the forest and its wild edibles, they are legally permitted to harvest these resources only for their personal needs. Nevertheless, foraging for wild food provides significant economic benefits to the community, according to a study.The study, based on analysis of data from household interviews and focus group discussions in eight villages inhabited by the Soligas and Beda Gampana communities in M.M. Hills, reveals that the cash value of wild food plants contributes between 15% and 20% of a Soliga household’s annual income. The study concludes that these plants provide a reliable safety net for many households and play a crucial role in the livelihoods of local people.

Remembering recipes

Dundamma has travelled to cities such as Bengaluru and Hyderabad to take cooking classes on wild food preparation for an audience. Typically, tribal women and children forage in the fields and plots near their homes, while men venture into the forest to gather mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and other items. However, Dundamma notes that many children in the podu are not well-versed in identifying these plants.

Shashi, a 20-year-old Class 10 dropout, guides us through the fields and vacant plots near the podu. She points out various edible plants, some with medicinal properties, as well as wild berries and seasonal fruits. She plucks a few Kevali hannu (Carandas plum) from the tree that has just begun to fruit; at the first bite, the tartness is striking, then it mellows into a pleasant sourness reminiscent of goose berries. While Shashi is familiar with some everyday greens and berries, she admits that her knowledge is not as extensive as that of her mother or grandmother.

Last year, Harisha published a book titled Forgotten Trails: Foraging Wild Edibles, which documents popular wild food plants and traditional recipes used by the Soligas and Yeravas, another tribal community in South India. The book aims to preserve traditional knowledge of wild food plants, demonstrate sustainable harvesting practices, and highlight the role of these practices in conserving forest resources.

In his book, Harisha describes Besige (summer) as a lean season for the Soligas, with only a few greens like Kaddi Soppu (Jasminum sp), Anne Soppu (Celosia argentea / flamingo feather), and Mushte Soppu (Holostemma annulare) available. During this time, grains and pulses from previous harvests are dried and preserved for use. In contrast, the Mungaru (monsoon) and Hingaru (retreating monsoon) seasons offer a bounty of wild food plants in fields, farms, and forests. The book is organised by season, listing wild food plants available each season along with traditional Soliga recipes. Harisha believes that documenting traditional recipes is crucial not only to preserve culinary practices but also to acknowledge their role in addressing hunger and providing therapeutic benefits.

Madegowda adds that certain wild foods hold cultural significance for the Soligas. For example, during important festivals like Sankranti, they offer specific tubers to gods and goddesses. “A tuber from the Dioscorea species, known as Thottambu, is often used as an offering,” he says.

Declining dependence

Madegowda identifies climate change and the proliferation of invasive plant species as key factors contributing to the reduced availability of many wild food plants. “Nothing grows under Lantana bushes,” he explains, “except for some jamun. Even those fruits are not as abundant as they used to be.” He recalls a traditional practice known as Taragu benki, or setting litter fires in the forest to manage weeds and control invasive species. With the forest department’s ban on this practice, invasives have surged, and climate change has further impacted plant growth. “The changing rainfall patterns affect the growth of plants,” he notes.

The shift in food choices, with grains like rice becoming more dominant and altering dietary preferences, has also contributed to the Soligas’ declining reliance on wild food plants. “Everyone now has access to outside food,” says Harisha. Additionally, regular vegetables are readily available in markets.

Agricultural intensification further exacerbates the issue. The use of pesticides, herbicides, and machinery like tractors has altered soil composition and health, leading to a scarcity of wild food plants. Harisha highlights that wild food plants once made up over 45% of the Soliga diet, but this is no longer the case. He adds that changing occupations, with many community members taking up jobs, has also influenced their dietary patterns.

Despite these challenges, Madegowda asserts that the Soligas’ appreciation for wild food plants remains resolute. He recalls an instance two years ago when news of a rare wild plant near B.R. Hills spread, prompting Soliga men to undertake an 8km walk to harvest it. “Given the choice, Soligas will go to great lengths for their favourite wild edibles,” Madegowda says.

Read more: Uniting traditional wisdom with modern science, barefoot ecologists record climate impacts

Banner image: A young Soliga, Shashi forages for wild greens near her house. Tribal elders say that the traditional knowledge of wild food plants is diminishing in younger generations. Image by Abhishek N. Chinnappa for Mongabay.

Credits

Adititandon Editor

Topics

See Topics