A dimension within Forest Products & Food Decline
Encompasses biodiversity, forest conservation, traditional foods, medicinal plants, and the preservation of cultural heritage.
150 voices speak to this
Negative
Overall Community Sentiment
Due to the cutting of trees and plants in the village, various herbs and food items are becoming extinct. We can protect them.
— Mohan AHARI · Sarera, Udaipur, Rajasthan
I want to bring back the medicinal items, food items, and root vegetables found in our forest, so that they do not disappear.
— Laxmi Bagh · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
We should preserve our culture so that herbs and forests remain.
— Chanda
We have been living in this village for approximately 100 years. Our tribe originated in this surrounding area. There have been many changes in the forest; valuable trees, herbs, and animals have all disappeared. If we do not protect it, then within the next 20 years, along with the destruction of the forest, all types of wild animals, medicinal plants, and creepers will disappear. Camps should be organized to teach traditional forest and tribal knowledge from elders to the younger generation, transfer it to the next generation, and preserve it.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
We have been living in this village for nearly 100 years. Our tribe originated in this surrounding area. The forest has undergone many changes; valuable trees, herbs, and animals have all disappeared. If we do not protect it, then within the next 20 years, the forest will be destroyed, and all types of wild animals, medicinal plants, and vines will vanish. Camps should be organized to teach the younger generation traditional forest and tribal knowledge from the elders, to pass it on to the next generation, and to preserve it.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
I have been living in this village since my grandfather's time. Our tribe originated in this surrounding area. The forest has changed a lot; valuable trees, herbs, and animals have all disappeared. If we do not protect it, the forest will be destroyed within the next 20 years, and all kinds of wild animals, medicinal trees, and plants will vanish. The younger generation should be taught traditional forest and tribal knowledge from elders and transfer it to the next generation, and camps should be organized to preserve it.
— DASHARATH SINGH · Jamunkira, Sambalpur, Odisha
Earlier, in our village's forest, we found many abundant herbs. But unfortunately, the roots of these herbs in the forest are being severely destroyed. So, we will try to keep them alive for this. I will go a bit.
— Devisingh Solanki · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
We must protect our forests so that herbs remain.
— Chanda
We want to bring all the traditional medicines, including roots and herbs, that are available. And we want to save the forest. All the traditional games that were played...
— Laxmi Bagh · Sundargarh, Odisha
If we do not make some effort, we will lose our traditional seeds, medicinal herbs, pure environment, air, etc.
— Kachala Choudhary
Medicinal plants and roots found in the forest are no longer available. We must protect them.
— Laxmi Bagh · Sundargarh, Odisha
We are gradually destroying the traditional seeds of ancient times. We should preserve those seeds. Otherwise, some medicines and plants are leading to their extinction.
— VEER SINGH SIJUI · Gitilāta, Seraikela-Kharsawan, Jharkhand
We should preserve our culture because traditional knowledge and science are associated with it. If we do not preserve it, traditional knowledge and science will disappear. From the forest...
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
We should protect our culture so that our food items from the forests and cultural programs remain alive.
— Vijay Kumar bhardwaj · Baloda Bazar, Chhattisgarh
Our medicinal herbs, vegetables, fruits, and trees are depleting from the forests.
— Kachala Choudhary
Our ancestors used to live, grow and maintain trees, and collect fruits and roots. Now, with all the trees gone, many conveniences are being lost. Let us all plant trees again.
— Bisendra Naik · Kasipur, Rayagada, Odisha
Today our medicinal fruit foods are becoming extinct. I will try to encourage people to protect them. Along with that, I myself will also
— KusaPradhani · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
I want to save traditional medicine, herbs, roots, and trees.
— Laxmi Bagh · Sundargarh, Odisha
Herbs, vegetable trees, medicinal plants are becoming extinct from our forests.
— Kachala Choudhary
If I get an opportunity, I will try to restore the various types of medicinal plants that have been lost from our traditional forests.
— Susanta Toika · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
We can collect all the medicinal things found in the forest and show them to future generations and preserve them.
— Anupama Mahanand
Long live rural discussions. The forests that are present in our lives are depleting. We need to plant more trees, otherwise society will be destroyed.
— Jadumani Nial · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
If we do not protect our forests, then the medicinal herbs and trees of our forests, which contribute to our economic situation, may be destroyed. Therefore, it is very important to protect our forests.
— Chanda
My name is Susmita Pradhan. We are the indigenous, original inhabitants. We wish to live in harmony with nature, producing our own food. We are demanding the government to conserve the things that are disappearing from the market. We are requesting the government to restore the forest products like roots and various forest items that are disappearing.
— RITARANI PRADHAN · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha
We used to eat sitha saga since ancient times. Even now we wish to eat sitha saga, and we will. The forest is being destroyed now.
— swornalata nayak · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
Here, our ancestors used to cultivate sava, medon, mijhari, and kodo, whose rice and bread were eaten. Today, they are slowly disappearing. Therefore, we should preserve them so that they remain a part of our lives forever. These are very nutritious and powerful food items.
— Ram Kumari
The medicinal things we used to get from plants and leaves are getting lost, and now nobody knows about them. We should bring them back and educate ourselves.
— Anupama Mahanand
Traditional songs and forest herbs should be protected.
— Chanda
My name is Isaac Sabar, village Zero Number, Panchayat Mandi Mandi, District Kandhamal. I feel that in the current situation, people used to use traditional forest products, which are forest-derived goods, in large quantities to sustain their livelihoods, but due to the lack of forests, they have disappeared. We want to restore the forests so that we can enjoy those forest products just like our ancestors used to.
— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha
If we do not protect ourselves, then we will end up like forests, medicinal herbs, and vultures, which are currently on the verge of extinction.
— Chanda · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
If we don't save the herbs of the jungle, then all of us will be destroyed.
— Chanda
The old foods that were in our memory are slowly fading away, becoming like mere remnants in a basin. Let's also talk about the forest. If those remain, our culture will also remain. It is interwoven.
— Saunri Murmu
We should protect our forests. Many living beings and animals live there. Trees have started to be cut down, so they should be saved.
— Mohan AHARI · Patiya, Udaipur, Rajasthan
My name is Rashmita Pradhan. Just as our ancestors remained healthy by eating fruits and roots found in the forest, prepared without chemicals, we also wish to eat the same food now. We are from tribal-dominated areas. Our forest is our lifeline. Therefore, our ancient traditions should be restored, and our forest should not be destroyed. Thank you. Raika Kandhamal.
— RITARANI PRADHAN · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha
In our village, treatment was done with wild herbs, which is decreasing today. If it is not saved in the future, it will gradually disappear.
— Vijay kanesh · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
We should preserve our culture, herbs, forests, our history, and old festivals like Karma.
— Chanda · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
So that future generations can know about the trees and plants in the forests that protect us from disease.
— Sunita Kumari · Ghorawal, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
If we do not act now, in the coming 20 years, forests, languages, seeds, songs, and other things will be lost.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
If we do not preserve our language now, according to our tribe, then it too will become extinct. Forests will also become extinct, and seeds will become extinct.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
We believe that if we do nothing, songs, forests, languages, and seeds will be lost within the next 20 years.
— AbhiLL Ipsa
AI-synthesised pieces woven from many community voices on this theme. They may contain errors or interpretation — they're a reflection of the stories, not a record of fact.

We must actively safeguard our local traditions, medicinal plants, and vital forest trees to ensure our heritage and well-being endure.

Faced with the loss of their natural forest, a community took action to plant a new one specifically for medicinal herbs.

The people of Udulibeda emphasize the vital role of traditional knowledge in cultivating local foods, stewarding the land, and ensuring their community's self-sufficiency for generations to come.

In our jungle villages, we cherish and pass down traditional crops like Majeri, along with the knowledge of local herbs and cultural practices, for the benefit of future generations.