District Khyber derives its name from the renowned Khyber Pass or Bab-e-Khyber a globally recognized historical passageway connecting central Asia and Afghanistan, A concept that involves implementing strategies and policies to address the root causes of poverty and improve the living conditions of disadvantaged individuals and communities.  One of the most common strategy followed by the people of Khyber under poverty alleviation is the local marketing of Sideroxylon mascatense locally called Gurgora, plant species that holds significant botanical and ecological value. Actually, the plants are an erect shrub that can reach heights of up to 2-3 meters. It features small, leathery leaves arranged in an opposite pattern, with a glossy dark green color on the upper surface and a paler shade on the lower surface. Sideroxylon mascatense has long been recognized for its medicinal properties. Various research studies have highlighted its bioactive compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids and terpenoids which exhibit potential antioxidan. The present work was done to illustrate the poverty alleviation and Sideroxylon mascatense marketing in the prescribed area of Ex-FATA. From 2022 to 2023, the average market value in Landi Kotl was 308/kg and average production was 830 kg per season and in Tahsil Jamrud was 269/kg and average production per season 515 kg. Multiple study visits were conducted in the study area. Questionnaires were organized and distributed to the residents, including both males and females. Preference was given to respondents of various age groups. The study revealed that Sideroxylon mascatense played a crucial yet limited role in addressing food poverty in Khyber. The local communities expressed a strong determination to tackle food scarcity, which was a more pressing concern for them. However, the progress towards utilizing Sideroxylon mascatense for poverty alleviation has been limited due to the minimal involvement of individuals in Khyber. Participants identified several challenges faced by the local communities in utilizing Sideroxylon mascatense for economic purposes, such as lack of knowledge, inadequate skills, limited access to resources, the difficulty of reaching the plants in remote areas, and the absence of supporting facilities. By raising social awareness about Sideroxylon mascatense and facilitating access to markets, viable and competitive alternative income-generation activities could be promoted in district Khyber.

Keywords: Poverty alleviation, Sideroxylon mascatense, bioactive compounds, Khyber, Pakistan.