Brajesh Kumar
Research Scholar, Department of Botany, BRAB University Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India
Poonam Sinha
Associate Professor, Department of Botany, MDDM College, BRAB University Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India
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http://doi.org/10.37648/ijrst.v16i03.001
Ethnobotanical knowledge is the wisdom that communities have built over many years about plants, how they are used, how they are made, their importance in culture, and how they fit into the environment. This knowledge helps in traditional medicine, growing food, making a living, holding cultural values, and protecting nature. But changes in society, money, technology, and the environment are causing this knowledge to disappear, especially among younger people. This study looks at how much of this knowledge is being lost and why. It also finds ways to record, pass on, and protect this knowledge. The study uses different methods like talking to families, having interviews, group discussions, watching what people do in the field, and testing their knowledge. Factors like age, education, jobs, involvement in traditional ways, talking to older generations, moving away from home, changes in lifestyle, using digital tools, and relying on store-bought products are studied to see how they affect knowledge levels. The study also looks at how schools, local groups, technology, gardens, people who know the knowledge, and working with the community can help keep this knowledge alive. A new idea is created showing how changes in society affect how knowledge is passed down and how well it is kept safe. The study says that this knowledge should not just be seen as old history but as something living that connects culture and nature. Combining traditional knowledge with school, community efforts, digital tools, and involving young people can help share knowledge better and support the protection of nature.
Keywords: Ethnobotany; Indigenous knowledge; Traditional knowledge; Younger generation; Knowledge erosion; Intergenerational transmission; Indigenous communities; Sustainable development.
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