ITANAGAR, Mar 8: Chief Minister Pema Khandu has congratulated the communities of Mandala, Phudung, Khellong and Nyukmadung for successfully marketing important non-timber forest products (NTFPs) harvested from their Community Conserved Areas (CCAs).
Through collective efforts and sustainable harvesting practices, local collectors have marketed Khagi (Zanthoxylum spp., commonly known as Sichuan pepper or Timur) and Lishi (Illicium griffithii, commonly known as star anise), generating significant income for local families while ensuring conservation of valuable forest resources.
The initiative was supported by WWF India and linked to responsible buyers including Dabur India Ltd, Nahar Organics and the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC).
Khandu commended the Community Conserved Area Management Committees and the more than 250 families involved in the initiative, noting that such community-led efforts demonstrate how sustainable use of forest resources can generate livelihoods while protecting biodiversity.
He added that such community-led initiatives strengthen Arunachal Pradesh’s emerging green economy while preserving the state’s rich ecological heritage.