Knowledge, Use, and Importance of Non-Timber Product-Generating Plants among the Pijao Ethnic Group: Natagaima-Tolima, Colombia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18800/kawsaypacha.202602.A006Keywords:
Indigenous, Ethnobotanical, Tropical dry Forest, Cultural Importance, Natagaima-Tolima, ColombiaAbstract
Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) from the tropical dry forest (TDF) are essential for the livelihoods of the Pijao Indigenous community in Natagaima, Tolima. However, their use is limited by ecosystem degradation and the loss of local ecological knowledge. Therefore, this study examines the knowledge, use, and cultural importance of non-timber product-generating plants among the Pijao ethnic group of Natagaima-Tolima, Colombia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 95 Indigenous participants, exploring sociocultural and ethnobotanical variables. A total of 66 species belonging to 34 taxonomic families were identified. They are used across eight categories, mainly medicinal (55 records), food (16), and domestic (12). Among the medicinal species, 55 are used to treat ailments, which can be grouped into nine categories, with gastrointestinal (21%), skin, and respiratory uses (13%) being the most prominent. The number of uses reported per species ranged from 1 to 4, with citation frequencies below 0.5 and cultural value indices ranging from 0 to 0.117. In conclusion, ethnobotanical knowledge related to the use of non-timber product-generating plants is extensive. However, the low cultural valuation results suggest there might be a risk of losing ancestral knowledge and the associated ecosystem.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Gloria Estefanía Pastrana-Aguirre, Ciro Ortiz-Valdes, Miguel Angel Quimbayo-Cardona
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