Home Gardens in Nepal

Table 1. Wild vegetables found in the uncultivated forms in the area.

Local Name Botanical Name Plant type Edible parts Uses

Sisnu Urtica dicica Herb Young tip shoots Vegetable/ Khole

Jaluko Colocassia spp. Herb All parts Vegetable

Koiralo Bauhinia variegata Herb/Tree Flowers, buds Vegetable

Sim sag Nasturtium offcinale Herb Young tip shoots Vegetable

Tama bans Dendrocalmus hamiltonii Tree New shoots Vegetable/pickles

Shiplican Crataeva religiosa Tree Leaf buds Vegetable, pickles,

spice

Kabro Ficus infectoria Tree Buds Vegetable, pickles

Bhyakur Dioscorea deltoidea Climber Roots Vegetable, boiled

Tanki Bauhinia purpurea Tree Young tip shoots Vegetable, fruits

Neuro (jire) Thelyopteris spp Herb Tender leaves Vegetable, pickles

Ban tarul Dioscorea spp Climber Roots Vegetable

Ban lunde Amarathus spp Herb Tender shoots

and leaves

Vegetable

Ban Kurilo Asparagus racemose Herb Tender new

shoots

Vegetable, pickle,

medicine

Bethe Chenopodium spp Herb Tender aerial

parts

Vegetable

Chuche

karela

Cyclanthera pedata Climber Fruit Vegetable

Wild

mushroom

Fruiting body Vegetable

Mane Alocasia naricularis Herb All parts Vegetable, pickles,

medicine

Some of the wild foods have been domesticated by farmers. Sama (little millet) and Mal
Kaguno (fox tail millet) are used for both food and religious purposes. Bhyakur is
domesticated since it has both food and medicinal value. Similarly, farmers have
domesticated Kause bean (Makuna), Tyaguna, and Githa. It was observed that farmers give
more importance to use value of species.

Contribution of wild food crops in the nutritional status of households
The wild foods have been a major source of family nutrition and diet of Chepang
households (Annex 1). As mentioned earlier 40% of their food supply is from wild foods.
According to farmers, the wild foods are very nutritious and they provide a lot of energy. The
study and research conducted by various institutions have reported that they have higher
protein and fibre compared to other crops. The study carried out in Hokoido University
Japan shows that Githa and Bhyakur contain five times as much protein and fiber as
potatoes and sweet potatoes do. The study further shows that the important elements like
iron, calcium and phosphorus are also available in them.

However, there are other contradictory findings to the prior statements. The study done by
Mr. Megh Raj Bhandari, a PhD student of Hokoido University had reported that these wild
foods contain Aukjalate, Cynozelic Alkaloids and Glucocytes like toxic chemicals which are
the cause of allergy and stone formation in the kidney. The report suggested that the
consumers of such wild foods should have their medical checkup once a year. It is evident
from discussions with farmers that some of the wild foods consumed by households contain
toxic chemicals or poisons and need processing during the cooking (Table 2).