Promising alternative wild phytofoods to mitigate the environmental aridity and food insecurity in Balochistan Province, NW Pakistan: A cross - cultural approach

Non

Authors

  • Shazia Kousar Department of Botany, University of Baltistan, Skardu, Pakistan
  • Nazar Khan Department of Botany, Government Degree College, Zhob, Balochistan, Pakistan
  • Zaheer Abbas Department of Botany, Hazara University, Mansehra Pakistan
  • Nidaa Harun Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Okara, Okara, Pakistan
  • Kamran Ishaq Department of Agriculture, Zhob, Balochistan, Pakistan
  • Tahir Khan Department of Botany, Government Degree College, Zhob, Balochistan, Pakistan
  • Abeer Hashem 6Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box. 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
  • Graciela Dolores Avila-Quezada Facultad de Ciencias Agrotecnológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, 31350, Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México
  • Elsayed Fathi Abd_Allah Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box. 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: The current paper elaborates the wild edible plants (WFPs) diversity, associated folk knowledge and cross-cultural comparison of three ethnic groups of the Balochistan Province, Pakistan.

Methods: The field trips were carried out in spring 2018 to winter 2020 employing purposive sampling techniques for respondents. We used semi-structured interviews with open ended questions. A total of 195 interviews yielded 140 plant species in 44 families and 105 genera.

Results: Family Brassicaceae (10.17%) showed maximum representation with Asteraceae (10%), and Apiaceae (6.42%). Eight used categories i.e. eaten fresh (47 spp.  33.57%), as cooked vegetable (46 spp., 32.85%), vegetable and salad (15 spp, 10.71%), salad (14 spp, 10%), beverages only (8 spp, 5.71%), and flavor (7 spp, 5%) were found based on consumption. Among used parts, leaves (54 spp., 38.57%) were the most used part followed by fruits (44 spp, 31.42%), tubers (13, 9.28%), bulb (11, 7.8% species), whole plant (8, 5.7%), flowers (4, 2.8%), seeds (4, 2.8), shoots (3, 2.14) young stem (2, 1.42). Seventy-five (75) species (53.57%) were cited for commonly by all tribes while the rest 65 (46.42%) differently. Pashtuns hold comparatively significant traditional knowledge and exclusively utilized 44 (31.42%) plant species. Similarly, the Pushtoons and Balochis were sharing 13 (9.28%) plant species. Jaccard index (JI) discovered that 92 plant species have never been reported from the province before for example Ferula costata, F. oopoda, Ferula assa-foetida, Allium zhobicum, Asphodelus tenuifolius, and Menoicus linifolius etc. 

Conclusion: Effect of age, gender and different inter-cultural folk heterogeneity observed profound impact on overall knowledge volume. Several geo-climatic changes and anthropo-zoogenic factors are causing the fragmentation of existing knowledge. The promotion of these wild edible plants (WFPs) as crops would underpin the food sustainability and socioeconomic development in the current scenario of food insecurity.

Key words: food ethnobotany; cross-cultural heritage; arid land; food security; wild edibles

Author Biographies

Shazia Kousar, Department of Botany, University of Baltistan, Skardu, Pakistan

Department of Botany, University of Baltistan, Skardu, Pakistan

 

Lecturer

Nazar Khan, Department of Botany, Government Degree College, Zhob, Balochistan, Pakistan

Department of Botany, Government Degree College, Zhob, Balochistan, Pakistan

 

Lecturer

Zaheer Abbas, Department of Botany, Hazara University, Mansehra Pakistan

Botany

Nidaa Harun, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Okara, Okara, Pakistan

Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Okara, Okara, Pakistan

 

Assistant Professor

Kamran Ishaq, Department of Agriculture, Zhob, Balochistan, Pakistan

Department of Agriculture, Zhob, Balochistan, Pakistan

 

Depty Director

Tahir Khan, Department of Botany, Government Degree College, Zhob, Balochistan, Pakistan

Department of Botany, Government Degree College, Zhob, Balochistan, Pakistan

 

Lecturer

Abeer Hashem, 6Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box. 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

6Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box. 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

 

Assistant Professor

Graciela Dolores Avila-Quezada, Facultad de Ciencias Agrotecnológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, 31350, Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México

Facultad de Ciencias Agrotecnológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, 31350, Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México

 

Assistant Professor

Elsayed Fathi Abd_Allah, Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box. 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box. 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

Assistant Professor

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Published

2025-06-14

How to Cite

Kousar, S. ., Khan, N. ., Abbas, Z., Harun, N. ., Ishaq, K. ., Khan, T. ., Hashem, A. ., Dolores Avila-Quezada, G. ., & Fathi Abd_Allah, E. . (2025). Promising alternative wild phytofoods to mitigate the environmental aridity and food insecurity in Balochistan Province, NW Pakistan: A cross - cultural approach: Non. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 31, 1–25. Retrieved from https://ethnobotanyjournal.org/index.php/era/article/view/6523

Issue

Vol. 31 (2025)

Section

Research

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