Khagi spice powers community-led livelihood and forest conservation in Arunachal’s West Kameng

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ITANAGAR: A traditional Himalayan spice known as Khagi has emerged as a community-led livelihood and forest conservation model in Arunachal Pradesh's West Kameng district, benefiting more than 200 households and generating a turnover of Rs 39 lakh.

Khagi, a species of Zanthoxylum commonly associated with Sichuan pepper or Timur, was traditionally used by indigenous communities as a spice and condiment. More than 10 tonnes of the produce had been sustainably harvested and marketed, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein said in a social media post on Monday.

The initiative centred on community-conserved forests, where indigenous communities collectively managed forest resources and organised harvesting, aggregation and marketing. The effort helped generate income while protecting more than 100 sq km of forest.

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