High altitude organic gold: The production network for Ophiocordyceps sinensis from far-western Nepal

Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Mariève PouliotCarsten Smith-Hall

Abstract

Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk.) G.H.Sung, J.M.Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, a high altitude Himalayan fungus-caterpillar product found in alpine meadows in China, Bhutan, Nepal, and India, has been used in the Traditional Chinese Medicine system for over 2000 years. Heightened demand in China over the past 15 years, coupled with limited production, has led to a price hike and increased economic importance of harvests to rural households throughout the species' range. There is, however, limited knowledge on the actors and profit distribution in the O. sinensis production network, especially from the distribution areas on the southern flanks of the Himalayas. Filling in this knowledge gap is essential to the identification and design of public interventions. To describe and quantify the O. sinensis production network originating from Darchula District in far-western Nepal. Data was collected, for fiscal year 2014-15, in spring and summer 2016 using standardized collector (n=56) and trader (n=45) questionnaires in Darchula District, and central wholesaler (n=9) questionnaires in cities of Nepal. All questionnaires contained quantitative and qualitative components focusing on key elements of the production network, i.e. value crea...Continue Reading

Citations

Jun 25, 2020·Genome Biology and Evolution·Ruihao ShuQilian Qin
Jun 13, 2018·Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine·Ripu M KunwarPrabhat Sapkota
Oct 24, 2018·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Kelly A HoppingEric F Lambin

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