Mahua conservation begins for first time

By Jyoti Panti,Babai (Bardiya), July 8: The Division Forest Office Bardiya has started conserving the endangered Mahua plant, which is used in Tharu culture and festivals. The Mahua tree is known as Madhuca longifolia in plant science.

Following the policy introduced by the Ministry of Forests and Environment of Lumbini Province for the year 2080/81 (2023/24), the Division Forest Office Bardiya has, for the first time, planted 2,074 Mahua saplings to promote farming and conservation in the district.

The Lumbini Provincial Government launched this programme after noticing a decline in Mahua production in community and national forests. As part of this initiative, a Mahua farming promotion programme has been started in the Tharu Community Forest of Gulariya Municipality-5.

Mahua is a fruit that grows on trees. In Bardiya district, where there is a large Tharu community, Mahua is used in their culture, religious festivals and special ceremonies. The fruit is used to prepare different food items; medicines are also made from Mahua.

In the past, it used to grow naturally in large forests, but it has been disappearing in recent years. That is why the Lumbini Province Ministry of Forests and Environment has included Mahua promotion in its annual plan.

Local Hari Chaudhary of Gulariya Municipality-5 said Mahua fruits are important for Tharu festivals and traditions, so efforts have begun to protect it. He added that Mahua, which was once found easily in forests, has now started to disappear.

Tihar Bahadur Tharu, chairperson of the Tharu Community Forest, also said that Mahua is now rarely used in Tharu festivals, so they have planted Mahua saplings with the support of the Division Forest Office, Bardiya.

Information Officer of the Division Forest Office Bardiya, Ram Kumar Chaudhary, said that for the first time, Mahua farming has started on two bighas (about 1.35 hectares) of land under the Tharu Community Forest in Gulariya. Mahua conservation began last year on this land.

Mahua trees usually start producing fruits after seven to eight years. The fruits can be sold, bringing income to the community forest. The fruits are also collected for personal use, to make food and for religious ceremonies.

Drona Sharma, an officer from the Forest Research and Training Centre in Butwal, said Mahua fruits have many benefits and are important in Tharu culture, so efforts have been started to conserve them.

The Lumbini Province Ministry of Forests and Environment believes that this first-ever Mahua conservation programme in Bardiya will help save the plant from disappearing.