Traditional utilization pattern of NTFPs among the tribal communities in Paderu division of Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

The present paper consummates the traditional utilization pattern of NTFPs among the tribal communities in Paderu division of Visakhapatnam district, A.P, India. It has been observed that the traditional knowledge of NTFP utilization is on sharp decline due to modernization and lack of interest of the younger generations of the ethnic communities. Proper documentation of the NTFP species and their utilization pattern among the tribal communities is necessary to understand the exploitation of green resources among them. In the present investigation a total of 144 NTFP species belonging to 63 families were recorded and they were categorized into wild food, food additives, animal food, construction, materials, fuel, medicine, poison, social uses and environmental uses based on their traditional utilization pattern among the tribal communities in Paderu division.