Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Geography and Rural and Urban Planning, Faculty of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran
2
Ethnobiology Core, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, , Iran
10.22034/jresd.2026.578762.1016
Abstract
In the process of local community development in Iran, local knowledge systems—particularly indigenous women's knowledge—have largely been neglected, despite their potential to serve as a foundation for endogenous and sustainable development. Kadkan Rural District in Torbat-e Heydarieh County, given its natural and cultural contexts, offers an appropriate setting for studying and documenting indigenous women's knowledge of wild plants within an endogenous development framework. This article presents part of the findings from a broader research project conducted within this framework, specifically focusing on the inventory, description, and analysis of indigenous women's knowledge of wild plants in the Kadkan region. The study employs a qualitative methodology based on participant observation, direct observation, and in-depth interviews with local participants. The findings reveal that Kadkani women possess rich, detailed, and intergenerationally transmitted knowledge concerning various wild plant species, including their growing seasons and locations, identification methods, harvesting techniques, processing, preservation, and diverse applications (medicinal, nutritional, fodder, and hygienic). The women classify wild plants into two main categories: "garden weeds" and "mountain weeds." A total of 63 wild plant species were identified in the region, categorized by function into three groups: "food-nutritional," "medicinal-therapeutic," and "practical-economic." Within the food-nutritional domain, plants were examined under four subcategories: indigenous flavorings, bases for indigenous beverages, indigenous fruits, and indigenous foods. In the medicinal-therapeutic domain, 30 species with various healing properties were identified, which women utilize through methods such as poultices, distillates, "Zift," decoctions, and pastes to treat ailments including bone fractures, dental abscesses, infections, and stomachaches. In the practical-economic domain, plants are used in traditional tool-making, construction, and oven smoothing. The results indicate that the indigenous knowledge of Kadkani women represents a valuable treasure of experience, lifeworld, and adaptation to nature. Women, as the primary custodians of this knowledge, play a pivotal role in preserving biodiversity, food security, and community health. Documenting and revitalizing this knowledge not only appears essential for maintaining biodiversity and environmental sustainability in the rural area but also reflects the region's cultural richness and historical identity.
