Conservation and Commercialization of Medicinal Plants

The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH has been implementing following Schemes for overall development of the Medicinal Plants sector throughout the country: 

i). Central Sector Scheme on “Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants”

Aim

at providing project based support for survey, inventorization, in-situ conservation, ex-situ conservation / herbal gardens, linkage with Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs), Research and Development etc.

 The Scheme is being implemented since 2008 and continued during the 12th Plan. 

ii). Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM) having a component on “Medicinal Plants”

Aim

Supporting cultivation of medicinal plants on farmers land with backward linkages through establishment of nurseries for supply of quality planting material, and forward linkages for post-harvest management.

Note :

Prior to NAM Scheme, the cultivation of medicinal plants was being supported under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of “National Mission on Medicinal Plants” of NMPB implemented from years 2008-09 to 2014-15. 

From time to time, NMPB under its Central Sector Scheme organizes training programmes for the farmers/ other stakeholders for cultivation, production, processing and marketing of medicinal / herbal plants through state agencies.

 During last five years a total of 24 training programmes for farmers were conducted. Besides, 8 workshops/stakeholders meets were also supported through these Facilitation Centers.

In addition, during last three years NMPB has also supported 57 projects in different states for conducting workshops / training / seminars etc. on various aspects of medicinal plants.

Under this scheme support is also being provided to different Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs), Village Panchayats, Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs), Self Help Groups (SHGs) for value addition activities like construction of drying yards, godown, semi-processing unit and training to JFMC members, forest staff, villagers etc. 

Besides, different State Agriculture Universities, research institutions / laboratories under Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) having technical expertise also organize training programmes for the farmers for cultivation, processing and marketing of medicinal / herbal plants and their related agro technologies, processing for value addition to enable their commercial exploitation of the knowhow so developed. 

Important terms in this article

National AYUSH Mission (NAM), Forest Management Committees (JFMCs), Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs), Self Help Groups (SHGs), Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)