Wild Food Forests in Tribal Jharkhand: A Community-Led Model for Biodiversity and Resilience

Traditional agroforestry systems in the tribal uplands of Jharkhand hold vast potential for sustainable food autonomy and biodiversity conservation. This abstract, presented at the IISF Young Scientists Conclave 2025, documents community knowledge and ecological patterns of wild edible and medicinal plants across the Santhal Pargana region. Fieldwork was conducted in Dumka and Godda districts between 2024–2025 through participatory observation, species documentation, and GIS-based mapping. The project proposes a ‘wild food forest’ model integrating native species such as Bauhinia purpurea, Diospyros melanoxylon, and Pteris ferns to revive degraded agroforestry landscapes through community-led restoration. Results highlight improvements in soil fertility, pollinator diversity, livelihood nutrition, and climate resilience. The initiative empowers tribal women and youth and demonstrates how traditional ecological knowledge merged with modern conservation science can strengthen rural food systems and ecosystem resilience.This abstract is officially published in the IISF-2025 Young Scientists Conclave Abstract Book (India International Science Festival).