Traditional Use of Wild Edible Plants of Wetland by Local People in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Author(s): Khambay Khamphilavong, Chittana Phompila, Metmany Soukhavong, Yongxiang Kang

This study documents the traditional knowledge and utilization of wild edible plants (WEP) in wetland areas of Savannakhet and Champasack provinces, southern Lao PDR. Through participatory field collection, free listing, and semi-structured interviews with 104 local informants, we identified a total of 174 WEP species belonging to 55 families. A total of 43 plant families were recorded in Champasack and 49 plant families in Savannakhet. The common families a total of 42 families were found to be common to both provinces. Champasack had one unique family (Lycopodiaceae), and Savannakhet had 12 unique families. The study revealed that trees and grasses were the most common growth forms, while Poaceae and Fabaceae were the most species-rich families in both provinces. Plant parts most frequently used included young leaves and fruits, with notable regional variation: Champasack communities used a broader array of plant parts and species than those in Savannakhet. WEP was primarily consumed as vegetables and fruits, with raw and cooked preparations being most common. The study highlights WEP's ecological and cultural significance, its contribution to food security, and the erosion of traditional knowledge due to generational shifts and migration. Conservation of both plant diversity and indigenous knowledge is recommended to sustain local livelihoods and enhance nutritional resilience.