A traditional Himalayan spice known as Khagi, harvested by indigenous communities in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, has emerged as an example of community-led livelihood generation and forest conservation.

Key Highlights

• Khagi is a species of Zanthoxylum, commonly associated with Sichuan pepper or Timur. 
• Indigenous communities traditionally use its dried fruits as a spice and condiment, besides its role in local traditional practices.
• The initiative has benefited more than 200 households, generated a turnover of around ₹39 lakh and helped protect more than 100 square kilometres of forest.
• More than 10 tonnes of Khagi have reportedly been sustainably harvested and marketed through collective efforts.

Community Conserved Areas: The Core Model

The initiative is centred around Community Conserved Areas, where local communities collectively decide how forests and natural resources should be used, managed and conserved.

• Earlier, Khagi was largely treated as a subsistence forest resource and collected individually from the wild.
• Community organisation has enabled collective harvesting, aggregation and marketing, giving producers better access to markets and reducing dependence on local traders.
• A portion of the income can also support forest conservation and community welfare, creating a direct link between protecting forests and improving livelihoods.

Why is Khagi Important?

• Khagi is mainly found in forest edges and open forests around agricultural areas of West Kameng.
• Since it is largely sourced from natural habitats, sustainable harvesting is essential to prevent overexploitation.
• The initiative demonstrates the potential of non-timber forest products to generate rural income without requiring forest clearance.

Exam Hook – Prelims

Consider the following statements regarding Khagi:

1. It is associated with the genus Zanthoxylum.
2. It is traditionally used as a spice by indigenous communities of Arunachal Pradesh.
3. Its conservation model is based on community participation and sustainable harvesting.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer: 1, 2 and 3.