Diagnosing the status and trend of research on traditional knowledge related to non-timber forest products as food

Abstract

Forest communities have a rich heritage of gathering, producing, and using non-timber forest products (NTFPs) as food. They have maintained and transferred traditional knowledge related to NTFPs through their networks over generations. Considering the food value of NTFPs, traditional knowledge has become an important social asset, and its functions in forest communities are clearly identifiable. This study systematically analyzed the research on traditional knowledge related to NTFPs as food—to demonstrate the status and trends of research in this regard—using a systematic review method and topic modeling. We found that studies predominantly focused on medicinal plants from Asian and African countries and their effect. Through topic modeling, research keywords were classified into six topics—namely, ethnomedicinal practices, biodiversity, measurement, community and food security, traditionality, and culture. This study's findings indicate three key messages—specifically, the dominance of traditional knowledge related to NTFPs as medicinal foods, a methodological gap in traditional knowledge research, and the contribution of ecosystem services of NTFPs to community sustainability.