Harvesting And Processing of Dioscorea daemona Tubers In The Forests Of Madhya Pradesh, India.

The paper discusses indigenous systems evolved along the years for collection, processing of Dioscorea daemona (Baichandi) tubers. The tubers are collected and processed by the rural people following various indigenous methods since ages. Baigas (80 % population) is one such primitive tribe that is involved in collection, processing and sale of the materials. The study has estimated that Baichandi contributes to approximately 35.61% of the total annual income of a household. Traditional collection methods do not cause serious damage to the mother plants and thus ensure sustainability. The study reveals that creating awareness on medicinal values of the plant, few small modifications in the processing and improved marketing would enhance the financial returns to the tribal community in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]