Murad Khan
The Indigenous plants may be defined as the local and native variety of plants, which grows locally and which are present from so many years in that specific geographical area. They provide energy, food, shelter and medicine to the local community.
According to the officials of Forest Department govt. of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, there are many kinds of indigenous Trees, fruits and vegetable plants in Mohmand having countless benefits for human being and environment. Some of them have not been explored, if proper research have been done on these plants, they can be used for various purposes like, food, shelter, medicinal purpose and so many other benefits as well. The officials said that there are more than twenty types of Trees, fruits and vegetable, which are special and comes in the category of indigenous plants and fruits. English, Botanical and local Names of some indigenous plants in Mohmand District are given below.
Names of the indigenous Trees, fruits and vegetable plants in Mohmand:
1. Gurguray or (گورگوره ) in local Pashto dialect
2. Pholai or Acacia modesta (پلوسه)
3. Kikar or Acacia nilotica
4. Qurcus (سیڑئۍ)
5. Sanatha (غُڑاسکے)
6. Bir Plant (بیره یا کرکنڑه)
7. Carallumatuberculata(پمنکے) Hill areas Medicinal plant use as vegetable,in Urdu known as Chongay
8. Otostagialabata
9. Fagonia plantازغکےin Pashto and دھماسہ in Urdu
10. Cuminumcyminum (ځنکئے)
11. Myratuscummuni (مانړو)
12. Calotropisprocera (سپلمۍ)
13. Aak plant
Benefits and se of Indigenous Plants in Mohmand
These plants are used mainly for food of human being and animals, fuel and medicinal purposes, but every plant and tree has their unique property like Gurgura and other Bir species are very delicious fruit plant, but they are also used for the treatment of sugar and its oil is good for body and muscle pain. Similarly its stem and branches are used as fuel and construction purpose. Pholai, Kikar and Sanathaare used as fuel construction and purpose, but the Honey of Pholai is also famous in Mohmand. Besides this, Carallumatuberculata is a medicinal plant, which is found in hilly areas in Khwaize, Baizi and Ambadtehsil of Mohmand. Its stem is cooked as vegetable, with is very much delicious and is mostly used for the treatment of sugar. It is found usually in spring season, wrong cutting pattern and grazing animals are the main threats to its life.
Similarly Fagonia and more than eight types of its alien species are found in hilly areas in almost all the eight tehsils of Mohmand districts, they are used for medicinal purpose by homeopathic doctors (hakeems) for sugar, stomach and other skin diseases. Apart from these Cuminumcyminum is used in some recipes and traditionally Cuminumis used for stomach diseases in Mohmand. Myratuscummuniis used to treat inflammatory and infectious processes such as prostatitis, bronchitis, sinusitis, and colds.Aak plant is used for medicinal purpose, the people of this area says where there is no other plant in Mohmand, Aak will be present, so this is faithful plant.
Muhammad Ather Rafi, the Ex-Director at National Insect Museum, Department of Plant and Environmental Protection at NARC Islamabad, said that indigenous plants are very much important for a specific locality as they can easily grow according to the weather and temperature condition of that locality and area, they have various benefits for these people and environment as well.
About the threats to the life of indigenous plantsthe Ex-Director, Muhammad Ather Rafi says “The biggest threats to these indigenous plants are climate change, destruction of habitats and use of agriculture and forest land for town ships and societies. Besides this, the grazing of animals on medicinal indigenous plants and using these plants for fuel, construction and other purposes by local people are the other threats to these indigenous plants.”
About the sustainability of these indigenous plants Dr. Muhammad Rafi said that harvesting of these crops and plants by local people should be banned, wire gauze should be used to protect these indigenous plants form grazing animals, beside this the seeds of these plants should be collected and their re-production should be maintained in a proper nursery or wildlife park method initiated by government, as these are very rare and they may be vanished from that specific locality, if not protected well.
Shah Rukh, Agriculture officer in agriculture office extension here in Ghallani, Mohmand District says that by the word indigenous plants we mean the Regional plants which are found in different Tehsils of Mohmand which are specifically found herein Mohmand District like Qurcus and Gurgurayetc etc.
Horticultural specialist Shah Rukh said that there are more than 15 indigenous fruits plants and trees to whom we can say that they are actually in-danger plants because the propagation of these plants have been almost stopped and the people badly miss-use these plants.
He added that usually the Agriculture officer give suggestion to the farmers about different plants and crops, its diseases, and awareness about the govt. activities in agriculture field. They suggest the suitable crops and plants for to the farmers of Mohmand districts, weather fluctuation and specialized seeds for the crops and indigenous plants, beside this we will demand the public to stop the excessive cutting of these indigenous plants.
Gulab Sheer, the president of Anjumn-e-Tajiran Mohmand said “besides the above names, there so many kinds of indigenous fruits and vegetable plants, which are local in Mohmand District, I have not seen these plants in other districts, in local language we may call different names to these plants, they are used for various benefits, but usually the local community use majority of the indigenous plants for construction, fuel and medicinal purposes.”
45 years oldGulab Sheer said that the life of these important trees and plants are in danger, as the people cut these trees badly in a rough manner and there is no any organization, which can protect their species and it is observed that if these plants and animals have been harvested and vanished once, we will just see these trees and plants in pictures only, therefor the resident of the greenest village (Hazara) in Haleemzai Tehsil of Mohmand District, requested the govt. departments like Forestry and Agriculture departments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to take strict measures for the ban on excessive cutting of these trees and also do some steps for the revival of the species of these indigenous plants.
Financial challenges to the life of indigenous plants
Like other government department, the forestry, agriculture and wildlife departments are facing budget issues from the last one and half of the year, due to which the biodiversity in Mohmand Tribal District is facing serious challenges.
On one side the new nursery of plants have not been made in the recent 2 years and on the other side, the forest guards have not also been paid, due to which the existing trees are facing challenges due to non-availability of water and facilities. Similarly due to the budget issues, the beautiful collection of birds have been transferred to Peshawar from Mohmand zoo, at the same time the agriculture and wildlife department are facing the same budget issues, that’s why the biodiversity is facing serious issues in this war effect Tribal District of EX FATA.
After FATA merger in 2018 the people of these backward districts were hopeful that after extension of services of more than 28 government departments, their lifestyle will improved, but due to the financial deficit and lacks of funds from federal government around all the government departments and sectors are facing financial issues , which should be solved on priority basis. If the challenges to Biodiversity has not been addressed properly, there could be Biodiversity crisis, which can convert to climate change and ultimately will affect not only the life of thousands of herb’s , shrubs, organisms, birds, animals but it could also bad effects on our food and lifestyle as well.
Suggestions for survival of these indigenous plants
1. Release of Funds for forest guards by forest department, as there is no salary from the last one and a half year for the forest guards, due to financial depict the department have not planted the new nursery as well.
2. Awareness to the local people and sheep keepers about the importance of these indigenous plants: it has been noticed that majority of the farmers are involved in the cutting of trees and grazing of sheep’s and other animals are the main threats to some of these indigenous plants.
3. Fire incidents: According to the official data more than 400 incidents of wildfire have been occurred in a single year in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, due to which countless indigenous species of plants and animals have been vanished, so these threats should be overcome by concerned departments. So proper awareness should be given to the sheep keepers, honeybee keepers and visitors.
4. Wild life park models should be adopted to prevent the different alien species of indigenous plants: where its new nurseries of plants and trees should be made and even distributed amongst the local people.
5. More Research should be done for the benefits and its use of indigenous plants and animals in Mohmand.
The Writer is a multimedia Journalist who tweets on @muradonline123
