Social Benefits from Non-Timber Forest Products Among the Villagers of Champhai District, Mizoram

摘要

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) provides immense contribution to rural livelihood. Besides, they provide several benefits directly as well as indirectly to households and support them as an alternative in times of scarcity of agricultural cash crops. The purpose of the study is to assess the extent of NTFPs utilization and social benefits in Champhai district from community forests. Fuel wood, medicinal plants and wild vegetables are the main NTFPs which are routinely harvested from the communityforests. Majority of the NTFP harvesters are part time exploiter. Among all the fuel wood species Anogeissus acuminata (UVis =2.2) has the highest use value followed by Quercus pachyphyl-la (UV.s=1.6), Macaranga indica (UVis=0.8) and least in Quercus dealbata (UV = 0.6) and Mesua ferreda(UVis =0.6).While Securinega virosa (UVis = 2.6) has the highest use value among the medicinal plants followed by Mikania micrantha (UV. =2.4), Lindernia ruellioides (UV =2.2) and Litsea mono-petala (UV_(is) =2.2) and least in Artemisia vulgaris (UV_s =1.8). Bamboo shoots (UV_s =4.4) Melocanna baccifera and Dendrocalamus longispathus) has the highest use value among the wild vegetables followed by Amorphophallus nepalensis (UV_(is) = 2.8), Amomum dealbatum (UV. = 2.4).Mushroom species (UV_s = 1.8) and least use value was found to be Arenga pinnata (UV = 1.6).