Since traditional food products are now facing a severe competition from commercially processed fast foods, authentic information on traditional recipes are declining.

The Tribal Heritage Project team conducted extensive field visits to 56 tribal settlements in the 3 targeted Districts - Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki and Wayanad; to document the traditional food recipes put together by the tribal communities. The tribal groups who are attentive in protecting the ethnic food recipes and interested to prepare value added products based on ethnic foods were identified. Awareness classes on the scope of value addition, conservation and promotion of ethnic food were provided to them, and studies are progressing at RGCB for the final technology transfer to be deployed to the tribal community groups. Thus, the scope of innovating value added products and conserving traditional food will be accomplished as a major outcome of the Tribal Heritage Project.

Wild edibles form an integral part and major source of food for the tribal communities. The project team conducted proper documentation of tuber varieties and wild fruits available in the forest cover of Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki and Wayanad. In order to conserve the germplasm and to promote the utilization of Wild Edibles, 3 Conservation Plots were established in the 3 districts with the inclusive participation of tribal communities. Also, 26 traditional black pepper varieties documented from Idukki District was popularized by establishing a nursery in the form of a community enterprise.

Value addition activities conducted in Jackfruit