A community-led initiative centred on the native Zanthoxylum spice is helping more than 200 families earn sustainable incomes while protecting nearly 100 sq km of forest in the Eastern Himalayas.

In the forested mountains of Arunachal Pradesh, a native Himalayan spice that has long flavoured traditional cuisine is emerging as an unlikely driver of conservation and rural prosperity. What was once gathered primarily for household consumption has evolved into a successful community-led enterprise that is generating livelihoods for indigenous families while strengthening the protection of nearly 100 square kilometres of forest.

The initiative, centred on Zanthoxylum—known locally by different names such as Khagi, Erma, Shyein and Yarma—has transformed the way communities in West Kameng district view their forests. By linking sustainable harvesting with organised marketing and conservation financing, local residents are demonstrating that biodiversity conservation and economic development can reinforce one another.

The aromatic spice, recognised for its distinctive citrus fragrance and tongue-tingling flavour, has been an integral part of indigenous food traditions for generations. Its fruits are commonly used to flavour meat dishes, chutneys and millet-based foods, while its bark, seeds and fruits have also featured prominently in traditional medicinal practices. Although the plant has always grown abundantly in forests and abandoned agricultural lands, its commercial value remained largely underutilised for decades.

The transformation began through a community-based conservation model implemented within the Mandala Phudung Khellong Community Conserved Area (CCA) in West Kameng district. Community Conserved Areas are natural ecosystems voluntarily protected and managed by indigenous communities through traditional institutions. These locally governed landscapes aim to conserve forests, wetlands and grasslands while simultaneously supporting the livelihoods of people who depend upon them.

Under the initiative, local communities established a structured system for sustainably harvesting, aggregating and marketing Zanthoxylum. Instead of individual families selling produce independently to traders, the spice is now collectively processed and marketed, enabling villagers to secure better prices and stronger bargaining power.

The model has also introduced an important conservation incentive. A portion of the revenue generated from every kilogram of spice sold is channelled into a Community Conserved Area Management Fund. The fund supports forest patrolling, biodiversity monitoring, habitat protection and other community welfare activities, creating a direct financial link between healthy forests and household incomes.

Arunachal Pradesh provides an ideal setting for such a conservation model. Nearly 80 percent of the state’s geographical area remains under forest cover, while a significant proportion of these forests are classified as Unclassed State Forests that are traditionally managed by indigenous communities rather than government agencies. The state also forms part of two globally recognised biodiversity hotspots and supports exceptional biological richness, including more than a quarter of India’s plant diversity, the country’s highest mammalian diversity and over 1,600 high-altitude lakes.

For generations, traditional village institutions have regulated access to forests, determined harvesting rules and ensured equitable sharing of natural resources. However, changing socio-economic conditions and increasing dependence on cash-based livelihoods have gradually weakened many of these customary governance systems.

The organised Zanthoxylum initiative is helping reverse that trend by demonstrating the economic value of maintaining healthy forests. During the harvesting season, which begins every August, families venture into surrounding forests to handpick ripe fruits from naturally growing shrubs. The harvested fruits are carefully sun-dried, sorted and processed before being marketed collectively.

Unlike earlier trade practices, where only the outer husk of the fruit attracted buyers and the seeds were discarded as waste, the new marketing system has created demand for both components. Direct market linkages with established companies have significantly improved returns for participating households while reducing dependence on local middlemen.

The results have been encouraging. During the two most recent harvesting seasons between 2024 and 2026, participating communities collectively marketed more than 10 metric tonnes of Zanthoxylum. The initiative benefited over 200 households and generated an estimated turnover of around Rs 39 lakh, with approximately Rs 6 lakh contributed to the Community Conserved Area Management Fund for conservation and community development activities.

For many families, seasonal earnings from Zanthoxylum now provide an important supplementary source of income alongside agriculture. Household earnings from spice harvesting typically range between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 during the harvesting season, complementing annual farm incomes derived from crops such as kiwi, cabbage, tomatoes, beans and other seasonal produce.

Beyond its economic significance, the initiative also contributes to conserving one of the Eastern Himalayas’ ecologically important landscapes. The Community Conserved Area borders Bhutan’s Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary, forming part of a vital transboundary conservation landscape that facilitates wildlife movement across international boundaries.

The forests provide habitat for several threatened and elusive species, including the clouded leopard, Asian golden cat, marbled cat, Himalayan black bear, red panda, Arunachal macaque, capped langur, Himalayan serow, goral and large Indian civet. The landscape also supports numerous pheasant species and a rich diversity of medicinal plants, including Swertia chirayita, Illicium griffithii, Rubia cordifolia, Paris polyphylla and Zanthoxylum itself, many of which continue to play an important role in traditional healthcare systems.

The initiative illustrates a growing recognition that long-term conservation success depends on ensuring tangible benefits for local communities. By creating financial incentives linked directly to sustainable resource management, the programme has strengthened community stewardship while reinforcing traditional conservation practices.

As conservation efforts increasingly seek solutions that balance ecological protection with rural development, the experience from Arunachal Pradesh demonstrates how indigenous knowledge, community governance and sustainable enterprise can work together. A wild Himalayan spice that once quietly enriched local kitchens has become a powerful example of how biodiversity, livelihoods and community-led conservation can flourish side by side, offering valuable lessons for conservation landscapes across India.