ibclogo XVI International Botanical Congess

Abstract Number: 5827
Poster No. = 2351


CHIURI: A MULTIPURPOSE FOREST TREE FOR THE POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION IN THE SUB-HIMALAYAN REGION.


M. Idris*, T.R. Bhattarai2, D. Adhikari2, B. de le Court3, and H Teeckman1 *Lab Of General Botany and Nature Managemenr, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium. 2School of Ecology, Agriculture and Community Works, P.O. Box 4556, Kathmandu, Nepal. 3Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, Gouvernment Wallon, Place des Célestines 1, 5000 Namur, Belgium


Chiuri (Madhuca butyraceae Roxb., Family Sapotaceae) - a multipurpose forest tree species is an integral part of the day to day life of Chepang community of Nepal. It is found mainly in the sub-Himalayan region on steep slopes and even cliffs from 300 m to 1500 m. It has a significant contribution in the socio-economic condition of the rural Chepang. Especially, people of olower economic status largely depend on the chiuri products for their livelihood in some of the districts like Rukum, Jajarot, Dang, Salyan, Pyuthan, Rolpa, Dhading, Nuwakot, Makwanpur and Chitwan. Chiuri is the source of food, fodder, bee forage, edible oil, medicine, fertilizer, fish poison, pesticide, timber, detergent and soil conservator to them as they live mainly on local resources. Recently, a field research was conducted in the Northern Chitwan of Nepal to study the real influence of this multipurpose forest tree on the ecology and socio-economy of Nepal. This paper presents an overview of the real situation of chiuri and how chiuri plants influences the life situation of Chepang community of the upper catchment o fLother in the Northern Chitwan of Nepal.

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