Wild Himalayan spice fuels income for 200 families while safeguarding 100 sq km of forest

For generations, the thorny shrub Zanthoxylum, called Khagi, Erma, Shyein or Yarma, flavored food and medicine in Arunachal Pradesh. Today, about 200 families in West Kameng’s Mandala Phudung Khellong Community Conserved Area harvest the spice together, drying the fruits before selling them. With support from WWF India, the community now accesses markets, including Dabur India, allowing them to sell both husk and seeds and earn between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 per season, supplementing modest farm incomes.

Sales of more than 10 metric tonnes over the last two years have produced a turnover of roughly Rs 39 lakh, of which Rs 6 lakh supports a local forest-management fund. The initiative also protects a trans-boundary landscape bordering Bhutan’s Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary, home to species such as clouded leopards and red pandas. By tying livelihoods to forest health, the project strengthens traditional stewardship and biodiversity conservation.