Exploring the sustainable development of wild edible fungus industry in Yunnan Province under the background of biodiversity conservation

Abstract

Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework requires adherence to the principles of biodiversity conservation and sustainable maintenance mechanisms, exploring the path for realizing the beautiful vision of “coexisting harmoniously with nature.” Yunnan has extremely rich wild edible fungus resources, forming a unique “edible fungus culture.” In order to improve people's ecological conservation awareness, to promote the survival and development of wild edible fungus resources, and to further promote the development of Yunnan's wild edible fungus industry, we investigated the current status of protection and utilization of Yunnan's wild edible fungus resources based on the sorting of relevant laws and regulations and policy documents at both the national and local levels through the literature review and questionnaire survey. With the increasing popularity of natural mushroom products, the production and output value of wild edible fungus have increased significantly, but the number of wild edible fungus has sharply reduced, and some wild edible fungus populations are in a state of endangered and vulnerable. Weak ecological conservation awareness, disorderly collection, and other factors all endanger the survival and development of wild edible fungus resources. Meanwhile, the lack of relevant industry standards also greatly hinders the development of wild edible fungus industry in Yunnan. In view of the above problems, we propose the following suggestions: (1) To accelerate the special legislation for protection and development of wild edible fungus resources, not staying in the current fragmented or confused legislative state, and not only satisfying local policy protection. (2) To construct a standard system for wild edible fungus collection, sales (including international trade), processing, transportation, etc., accurately protecting wild edible fungus, especially for the collection of nationally protected populations, a collection license system should be gradually established. (3) To strengthen the technical support for the whole industry chain and to promote the construction of science and technology systems, such as wild edible fungus germplasm preservation, artificial cultivation, and advanced processing. This study is expected to push forward the further supplement and improvement of the standards for wild mushroom collection, processing and circulation, and the policies for protection and utilization of resources, and provide the support and guarantee for protection, utilization and sustainable development of wild mushroom industry.

Keywords

• biodiversity conservation
• wild edible fungus
• industrialization
• sustainable development
• legal regulation