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Title:	Wild edible plants and indigenous food systems : a case study of three Orang Asli settlements in Peninsular Malaysia
Authors:	Rachel Thomas Tharmabalan (P85984)
Supervisor:	Eric Jose Olmedo-Panal, Assoc. Prof.
Keywords:	Materia medica Vegetable -- Malaysia Vegetables in human nutrition -- Malaysia Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia -- Dissertations Dissertations, Academic -- Malaysia
Issue Date:	6-Dec-2020
Description:	This research is transdisciplinary in nature and focuses on the different types of wild edible plants used by Malaysia Peninsular indigneous people, known as Orang Asli, its medicinal and nutritional values, their relationships and knowledge with the environment and these wild edible plants. However, with environmental degradation and social change taking place due to developmental projects aimed at them, many of these wild edibles are slowly getting scarce and as such, the knowledge associated with it has been also eroding. Ethnobotanical appraisal, semi structured and field interviews were conducted to determine the names and the significance of the nine wild edibles used by the Orang Asli, which are Sauropus androgynus (L.) Merr., Manihot esculenta Crantz, Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Sw., Dendrocalamus asper (Schult.) Backer, Sleume, Solanum nigrum L., Gomphandra quadrifida (Blume), Pleocnemia irregularis (C. Presl) Holttum, Strobilanthes crispa Blume and Erechtites valerianiaeolia (Link ex Spring) DC., collected from three different sites in Peninsular Malaysia: Telimau, Bukit Terang and Kampung Sat. These wild edibles were then assessed for their proximate and mineral compositions. From this research, we can postulate that the Orang Asli undeniably carry a corpus of traditional knowledge on wild edibles. This ethnoscience is legitimated by science when it comes to nutritional and medicinal properties. In spite of this knowledge, their communities are being affected by health disorders such as NCDs and the double burden of malnutrition. Findings show that this double burden of malnutrition correlates with poor intergenerational knowledge transfer depending on the geographical location of their settlement, and on the degree of cultural assimilation. This cultural assimilation not only correlates with changes in their health, but also alter communities' economy, value system and cultural identity. This research hopes to encourage conservation methods for these wild edibles as well as help preserving the distinct cultural identity and knowledge among the Orang Asli through the proposed model of 'Sustainable Food Sovereignty'. With further pharmacological and toxicology studies, these wild edibles can then be used to promote consumption and help improve the health and nutritional status of the Orang Asli community.,Ph.D
Pages:	347
Call Number:	RS180.M4R333 2020 tesis
Publisher:	UKM, Bangi
Appears in Collections:	Institute of Ethnic Studies / Institut Kajian Etnik (KITA)

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