NON TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS UTILIZATION DURING ADVERSE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS : A CASE OF SAORA TRIBES OF GANJAM DISTRICT, ODISHA

Saoras are one of the most ancient tribes in Odisha mentioned in Hindu myths and classics are also expert climbers and hunters. Saoras of Ganjam district mostly depend on forest for their livelihood and the area is rich in biodiversity and also have rare medicinal flora. They eat several NTFPs, wild roots, rhizome, seeds, fruits and mushrooms during harsh climatic conditions like severe drought. They use stored wild tubers mostly Dioscoreas like Bowla ( Dioscorea bulbifera L.), Bonda, Chun aru  ( D. daemona Roxb.), Karondi aru ( D.bellophylla L.), Pani aru ( D. oppositifolia L.) and Arguna ( Cycas spp. ) to fulfill their food, medicinal and nutritional requirements particularly in harsh climatic conditions. They eat various wild leafy vegetables like Kolod ( Lathyrus sativa L.),Bilo ( Pisum sativum L.), Kulthi ( Microtylum uniflorum Lam.), Banana stem ( Musa superb a L.) Ban poi ( Basella alba L.). They also utilize NTFPs like Bamboo karda ( Bambusa vulgaris Schrad exJC Wendl.), Moha ( Madhuca indica J.F Gmel.), Amla ( Emblica officinalis Gaertn.), fruits. Some wild mushrooms like Banschattu, Ambachattu ( Agaricus spp. ) after drying and crushing were eaten by them. Indigenous practices of Saora tribes to cope up extreme environmental conditions and utilization of forest products during drought were discussed in the paper.