By Biswajit Mondal from Shyamnagar, Satkhira
A unique event displaying uncultivated edible plants was held in Phultala village of Munshiganj Union, Shyamnagar, Satkhira, to promote the identification and conservation of uncultivated plant diversity in the coastal region. The event, titled “Uncultivated Greens Festival,” was organized by the Phultala Agricultural Women’s Organization and Adolescent Girls’ Organisation, with support from BARCIK.
Seventeen women from Phultala and North Kadamtala villages displayed around 132 varieties of uncultivated plants collected from different locations in their communities. The plants included thankuni, helencha, kalmi, gadomoni, senchi, bhui kumra, adaborun, pepul, henna, jarmani lata, shishakand and hatishur.
Participants of the event explained the plants’ local names, habitats, nutritional and medicinal values, environmental importance and the need for their conservation. They said that uncultivated plants are an important source of food and nutrition for coastal communities and form part of local biodiversity and traditional knowledge. They also emphasized that such initiatives can help to introduce disappearing plant varieties and their uses to younger generations and encourage local conservation efforts.
Former head teacher Harsit Kumar Mondal, teacher Kamalesh Mondal, Masum Billal, General Secretary of Sundarban Press Club, BARCIK officials Biswajit Mondal, Maruf Hossain, Habibur Rahman, Al-Mamun, Omar Faruk Rajon and Chandana Rani, as well as farmers, teachers, students, civil society representatives and other community members participated in the event.