A Survey on Non-conventional Plant Parts Consumed during Monga– a Seasonal Famine which Affects the Northern Districts of Bangladesh

The northern region of Bangladesh comprising several districts in Rangpur division suffers every year from a seasonal famine or shortage of staple food items, which is locally termed Monga. The most affected areas are the districts of Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Rangpur, and Lalmonirhat. Monga usually occurs twice a year; the greater Monga (boro Monga) occurs during the lean season preceding the aman harvest of paddy in the Bangla months of Ashwin and Kartik (mid-September to mid-November), and the smaller Monga (choto Monga) occurs during the lean season preceding the boro harvest of paddy in the Bangla months between Chaitra and Jaistha (mid-March to mid-June). Paddy is the major staple cereal of most of the people of Bangladesh; and Monga occurs due to a combination of factors – dependency of the population primarily on agriculture and agricultural laborer, growth of only one to two crops of paddy per year (versus three in most other regions of Bangladesh), and a low per capita income in the above districts versus the national average. The poorest households during Monga are pushed into distressed conditions and because of the absence of their main food item paddy, is compelled to eat other non-conventional plant items for basic survival. The objective of this study was to conduct a survey in the village of Matadi in Lalmonirhat district, which is one of the worst affected areas of Monga, to determine which non-conventional plant food items are consumed. A preliminary survey was conducted among the population of Matadi village to determine the economically distressed households who suffer the most from Monga. Following identification of the target population, interviews were conducted with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire. Plants consumed during Monga as shown by them were collected and identified at the Bangladesh National Herbarium. Along with collection of plants, data was also obtained as to the local name of the plant(s), parts consumed and mode of consumption. A total of 22 plant parts or plant-derived items were reported to be consumed by the people during Monga-induced food distress. These plants or plant-derived plant parts were normally not ever or rarely used for food; but during Monga, are especially sought out, when they become substitutes. Overall, there are 22 plant species distributed in 13 Linnean families. The Poaceae family contributed 4 plants followed by the Araceae family with 3 plants. The other plant families were Amaranthaceae, Convolvulaceae, Cruciferae, Dioscoreaceae, Dryopteridaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Marantaceae, Moraceae, Moringaceae, Musaceae and Tiliaceae. A number of the plants were wild plants growing by the roadside, in marshy lands or in fallow areas. The most commonly eaten plant parts are leaves, stems or tubers. Published reports indicate that the nutritional value of several of the famine food plants consumed during Monga are high and that they may serve as a good source of nutrition under ordinary (i.e. non-famine) conditions.