Economic Perspectives of ginger cultivation: Global evidence through an ADO framework and implications for North East India

Medicinal and aromatic plants constitute a vital segment of global agriculture and bioeconomy, providing therapeutic value, industrial applications, and livelihood support. Among these, ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a high-value crop with established importance across food, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical sectors. Despite growing research, economic evidence on ginger cultivation remains fragmented across agronomic, technological, and market studies, limiting integrated interpretation and policy applicability. This study synthesizes global research on the economic dimensions of ginger cultivation using an Actors-Drivers-Outcomes framework, with implications for North East India, a region with favourable agro-climatic conditions yet constrained by structural, institutional, and market challenges. Findings indicate that research on this crop is largely producer-centric, emphasizing yield and cost efficiency, while limited attention is given to institutional coordination, value-chain integration, and risk management, especially in marginal regions. Outcome evaluation often overlooks livelihood resilience and environmental sustainability. These gaps highlight the need in North East India to enhance market linkages, adopt climate-resilient practices, strengthen value addition, and improve institutional support to increase smallholder participation and economic returns. By aligning economic evidence with the Sustainable Development Goals. This study provides a coherent framework to inform region-specific policy interventions and promote inclusive and sustainable development of the ginger cultivation in North East India.