eChapters

Introduction

In today’s world, where environmental issues are prominent and there’s a growing realization of our planet’s limited resources, the concepts of sustainable harvesting and conservation have become extremely important. They act as guiding principles, directing us to use resources responsibly and to protect the diverse life and ecosystems on Earth. The paper is designed to explore the core principles of sustainable harvesting and conservation, emphasizing their critical importance and the pressing need for a careful equilibrium between utilizing resources and safeguarding the environment. The paper analyzes laws, policies, and delving into Sikkim’s sustainable conservation and harvesting methods, and argues that successful implementation of these strategies presents Sikkim as a model that can be replicated worldwide. Sikkim’s proactive initiatives, such as banning plastic and harmful substances, as well as implementing measures to reduce pollution, showcase a forward thinking approach to environmental stewardship(Sikkim, ND),. These actions set an example for other areas to emulate, promoting a more sustainable and responsible relationship with our natural surroundings.

What is Case Analysis?

Case analysis is basically a real life problem-based learning method. It requires the readers to become active participant in the process and apply their analytical skills including critical skills, reflections, ability to inter-relate multiple aspects of the situations and issues, apply divergent and convergent perspectives in order to identify most feasible solution under constraints and limitations.

How to go about Analysing Case?

Every case and anecdotes have certain core and peripheral issues. Identifying critical incidence is very important to clearly understand the context and problem. Therefore, the participants need to be very active and involved when reading and analysing the cases and anecdotes. The goal is to follow a structured and logically organized format for analyzing every aspect of the case.

10.1 Introduction

Persimmon is known as the national fruit of Japan. In India, persimmon was introduced by the European settlers somewhere in 1921. At present it is grown on a limited scale in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, hilly areas of Uttar Pradesh and parts of eastern India. No organized cultivation of this fruit has yet been undertaken in India. The fruit is commonly known as ‘Japaniphal’ which is cherished for its unique flavour and high nutritional content. It is mainly originated from China, Japan and Korea (Lucas-Gonzalez et al., 2017) and is cultivated in warm region of China, Japan, Brazil, Italy and Mediterranean region (Bubba et al., 2009). It was originally cultivated in China and Japan, and it is therefore also known as the ‘Chinese date plum’. Persimmon is good source of various bioactive compounds that possess antioxidant activity which is beneficial for human health, owing to their ability to prevent from various chronic diseases.

7.1 Introduction

Okra is a remunerative vegetable crop for the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Its fresh fruits are important vegetable in India, Brazil, West Africa and many other countries. For year-round consumption sun dried (Africa, India), and frozen and sterilized (USA) fruits are processed from fresh fruits. Tender green fruits are cooked in curry and also used in soups. The root and stem are useful for clearing cane juice in preparation of jaggery. Its ripe seeds are roasted, ground and used as a substitute for coffee in Turkey. Matured fruits and stems containing crude fibre are used in the paper industry. Okra is rich in vitamins, calcium, potassium and other minerals. A 100g consumable unripe okra fruits contain 10.4g dry matter, 3,100 calorie energy, 1.8g protein, 90mg calcium, 1.0mg iron, 0.1mg carotene, 0.07mg thiamin, 0.08mg riboflavin, 0.08mg niacin and 18 mg vitamin C. The dry seeds contain 13-22% edible oil and 20-24% protein. The seed cake is also used as an animal feed. Okra has high iodine content and it has ability to control goiter. Ratoon cropping can also be done in okra.

1.1. Origin and distribution

• Native to South East Asia especially India

• In India, it is cultivated in MP, Maharashtra and AP

1.2. Economic importance

• Oil of palmarosa - rusa or rusha or rosha

• Oil obtained from C. martini var. sofia - ginger grass oil.

• Essential oil - Geraniol- East Indian Geranium.

• Motia grass - fine yellow stem with dark green leaves and height 1.80-2.40 m.

• Sofia grass - purple stem, shorter (90-120 cm)

• Used as base for fine perfumery

1.1. Origin and distribution

• Native to Southern Europe and Northern Africa to Southwestern Asia.

• Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh are major producers of coriander in India.

1.2. Economic importance

• All parts of plant are edible, but fresh leaves and dried seeds are used in cooking.

• May help to lower blood sugar.

• Rich in immune boosting antioxidants.

• May benefit heart health.

• May protect brain health.

• May promote digestion and gut health.

1.1. Mango

1.1.1. Mango squash

Step 1 : Selection of fruits

Step 2 : Washing

Step 3 : Pulping

Step 4 : Preparation of syrup (sugar + water + acid, heating just to dissolve)

Step 5 : Straining

Step 6 : Mixing with juice

Step 7 : Addition of preservative (0.6 g KMS (Potassium metabisulfite)/litre squash)

Step 8 : Bottling

Step 9 : Capping

Step 10 : Storage

1.1.2. Mango RTS (ready-to-serve)

Step 1 : Fruit (pulp/juice)

Step 2 : Mixing with strained juice

1.1. Origin and distribution

• Originated from wild non heading type, Cliff cabbage or Cole wort (Brassica oleracea var. sylvestris).
• Native to Mediterranean region.
• Three cultivated forms
  • Brassica oleracea var capitata f. alba- White cabbage
  • Brassica oleracea var capitata f. rubra- Red cabbage
  • Brassica oleracea var capitata f. sabauda- Savoy cabbage
• Major cabbage producing states are Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

1.2. Economic importance

• Contains all essential amino acids, particularly sulphur containing amino acids.
• Red cabbage is rich source of anthocyanin.

11.1 Introduction

The kiwi fruit is native to China, also known as Chinese Gooseberry. It was brought to New Zealand from China by missionaries in the early 20th century with the first commercial planting occurring several decades later. In 1960, it was renamed Chinese Gooseberries. It is a new fruit crop in India which is cultivated on a small scale and people do not know much about its cultivation. In India, it was first planted at Bangalore and after that in Himanchal Pradesh in 1963. In India, Kiwi is mostly grown in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala.

8.1 Introduction

Amaranth is one of the oldest food crops in the world, with evidence of its cultivation reaching well back to 6700 BC. The genus Amaranthus consists of nearly about 60 species, which includes leafy vegetables, vegetables for grains, ornamental plants as well as weeds. The word amaranth has actually been derived from the Greek word amarantos, which means unwithering and the people who used it symbolize immortality. The Hindi term for amaranth, Ramdana, means God’s own grain. Amaranthus tricolor L. is the most common species grown as leafy vegetable during summer and rainy season in India but it can be grown throughout the year. It fits well in crop rotations because of its very short duration and large yield of edible matter per unit area. The estimation of the extent of its cultivation is not available. Green or leafy types are usually grown in kitchen and market garden. Amaranth is more widely used as a potherb. The grain Amaranthus species are popular in the high lands of tropical and sub-tropical America. It is gaining importance in the Indian plains also, particularly in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Grain types are usually grown as mixed crops along with cereals, pulses and vegetables.

1.1. Origin and distribution

• The oldest known beverage, tea is native of China (Between China and Burma) in South East Asia.

• Known to the Chinese as early as 2737BC, but it was a popular drink in England in 1664 AD.

• Original species, which produce tea, were C.assamica (Assam jats), C.sinensis (China jats) and their natural hybrid, C.assamica subspecies lasiocalyx (Indo China or cambod type).

• Chinese (Small leaf) tea - C. sinensis var. sinensis: Originated in southern China possibly with hybridization of unknown wild tea relatives

• Chinese Western Yunnan Assam (Large leaf) tea

• Indian Assam (Large leaf) tea- C. sinensis var. assamica: Originated from Camellia taliensis in the area where southwestern China, Indo-Burma, and Tibet meet

• Chinese Southern Yunnan Assam (Large leaf) tea: Hybridized with the closely related species Camellia taliensis

• Difference between Assam and China types

Introduction

People visit tourist destinations for the purpose of enjoying the beauty, to relax and rejuvenate. One of the popular destinations chosen by all are hill stations. Darjeeling, also known as the Queen of Hills, is a popular tourist destination visited by six-hundred-thousand Indians and thirty-thousand foreigners annually (Bhattacharya, n.d.). The primary attractions that make Darjeeling worth visiting are the magnificent views of the Kanchenjunga range and the lush tea gardens. As a result of the advancement in technology, the luxury of travel is now feasible to all sections of society because of which tourism in India has rapidly expanded in the past three decades. This is the result of: great progress and advancement of the Indian economy, India’s roaring IT sector and promotion of “Unbelievable India” by the Tourism Ministry. Although tourism has significantly boosted revenue and employment, it comes with its downsides: the harm that it poses to the environment if it goes unchecked. Since the number of tourists is greater than the ability of the environment to cope up with, it puts tremendous pressure upon the environment which can have irreversible negative impacts

1.1. Origin and distribution

• Originated in Asia namely North West India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Western Tien Shan
• According to Vavilov (1951), it was originated in Pakistan.
• Jones and Mann (1963) stated that areas comprising Pakistan, Iran and mountain areas to the North India are primary centres of origin
• India is the second largest producer in the world, next to China and ranks third in export of onions, next to Netherlands and Spain.
• Maharashtra is the leading onion producing state in India, followed by Karnataka and Gujarat.
• Grown in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Bihar

1.2. Onion types in India

• Common onion (Allium cepa var. cepa) - Large bulbs born singly and propagated through seeds. Used as salad or in curries.
• Multiplier onion or potato onion (Allium cepa var. aggregatum) -Producing small bulbs, borne in clusters and generally propagated through small bulbs. Used for seasoning curries.

9.1 Introduction

Cluster bean is grown in India to a lesser extent than other beans. It is a commercial crop of arid and semi-arid regions. It is grown for its green pods that are used as vegetable and dry seeds. It is also grown as forage and green manure crop. Among leguminous crops it is comparatively hardier, drought resistant and cultivated on a large scale as a forage crop in dry regions because of its deep tap root system which enables it to recover from water stress. Some of the cultivars are used for extraction of gum called as guargum. The gum obtained from this crop is like a mucilaginous substance called galactomannan that is used in various industries particularly textiles, cosmetics, explosives and paper. Due to its colloidal nature, the gum acts as a stabilizer and thickener in food products,viz., ice cream, bakery mixes and salad dressings. The seeds of clusterbean contain about 30-33% gum in the endosperm. The gum in the seeds are galactomannan polysaccharides. The discovery of the galactomannan gum in the endosperm during 1948, led to its importance as an industrial crop. Today it is one of the significant foreign exchange earners of the country. Fresh pods contain 82.5% water, 9.9% carbohydrate, 3.7% protein, 0.2% fat, 2.3% fibre and 1.4% mineral matter. Cyamopsis senegalensis is the ancestor of guar. The largest growing state is Rajasthan (82%). Young plants of cluster bean contain hydrocyanic acid which causes toxicity to animals. It is an amide (asparagine and glutamine) producing legumes.

12.1 Introduction

Walnut (Juglans regia L.), called “the magic tree” since ancient times, is one of the most economically significant and widely distributed cultivated species for its timber and nutritious nuts all over the world. It is an important source for food, medicines, phytotherapeutic products, raw material in the wood industry and biomass. The nuts are also known as “King of Nuts”. Walnut is known to be trees with a high market potential. Its nutritious nuts and good quality timber are highly valued and the market demand is correspondingly high. It is known for its high-quality nuts and timber. It makes it an economically and nutritionally important tree species. Almost all plant parts and their by products have been used in one or other way. It is the most widespread nut tree in the world (Sharma, 2022). It is relatively fast-growing reaching a total height of 18-30 m and a canopy width of 12-18 m. Roots are sensitive to oxygen depletion which can occur in wet conditions.

Introduction

Among the various countries worldwide, such as China, Kenya, and Sri Lanka, India stands as a significant player. In 2016, China and India collectively accounted for over 60% of the world’s total tea production. Furthermore, India holds the distinction of being the foremost producer of black tea, while China and Japan lead in green tea production. In India, Assam and Darjeeling are recognized as the primary states for tea production, while the Nilgiris and North-East regions also contribute significantly, playing a crucial role in boosting the country’s economic growth.

Assam annually produces over 400 million kilograms of tea, making it the largest tea-growing region globally.Assam has the world’s biggest tea plantations, which are important for India’s economy. The state is near the Brahmaputra River and shares borders with Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. Because of its geographical location, this region encounters significant rainfall, especially during the monsoon season, with daily precipitation reaching as high as 250 to 300 mm (10 to 12 inches).A daytime temperature reaches to around 36 °C (96.8 °F), fostering greenhouse-like conditions of intense humidity and heat. The unique malty flavor for which Assam tea is renowned is shaped by the pivotal role played by its tropical climate.

1.1. Origin and distribution

• Centre of origin is Peru, Bolivia, and South America in the Central Andean region.
• Introduced into India in early 17^th Century
• In India, cultivation of potato began first in Nilgiris in 1822.
• Mainly grown in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab, Karnataka, Assam and Madhya Pradesh.
• Commercial potato species - Solanum andigenum - not very common. Plants are thin and long stem, small and narrow leaflets. Flowers more profuse, long stolons and mostly coloured deep eyed tubers.
• Solanum tuberosum: More common, plants shorter and thicker stem,