it does not require much human intervention, only periodical weeding, or cutting it back, as it grows naturally. So it can be cultivated without a lot of hard labour. This allows any women who may be growing it to take care of other household matters, such as raising the children. It is also nutritious for children as it contains high volumes of vitamin C, which is needed for growing bodies. If this crop were to become an export, one of the economic benefits would be that it would help to generate a stable income for farmers and their families, which then could help them to improve their farming practices, and raise their standards of living. It would allow them to eventually expand their farming practices, if the demand required it. It would also help to develop Nepal’s system of commerce, as people would be required to grade and pack the berries, and to transport and export them. It would not be a difficult task to begin a business with this plant. As mentioned earlier, seeds are usually inexpensive, and once the first seed is planted, the subsequent plant produces seeds that can be used for more plants, at no cost. Farmers can share seeds with each other, or simply buy them from a market. Since seeds are not usually expensive, the start-up costs would be low. This plant also does not require a tremendous amount of land to grow, in contrast to a crop such as maize, for example. Thus it is relatively easy and inexpensive to cultivate, as there is no need to buy large amounts of land, or equipment such as ploughs or animals. The fruit of this plant is very versatile, as it can be used in a wide variety of products, such as smoothie additives, jams, or dried fruit. So there would be a wide market to which these farmers can sell. Synonyms Rubus barbatus Edgew. Rubus nutans non Vest. Rubus nutantiflorus Hara. References GBIF entry Beautiful Edible Gardens entry Meth. Sp.-Beschr. Rubus 125. 1879. Hara, H. et al. 1978–1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal. nepalensis Flora of West Himalaya Flora of Nepal Flora of East Himalaya Plants described in 1879