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Lack of information affecting cultivation of medicinal plants

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Moodubidire:  Alva’s Vanasiri, an orientation programme for frontline forest staff on medicinal plants was organized by Alva’s Ayurveda Medical College and Hospital in association with Karnataka State Medicinal Plants Authority (KSMPA) Bengaluru here on Tuesday.

Inaugurating the programme,  Sudarshan G A, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Executive Officer of KSMPA said that the gap between the forest department and farmers should be bridged by exchanging the knowledge on traditional medicinal plants for preserving them. He called upon everyone to know the importance of such plants.


In his presidential address, Dr Mohan Alva, Chairman of Alva’s Education Foundation said that agricultural universities, Ayurveda colleges, and NGOs should join hands with the government to help in conserving the medicinal plants. “At times, corporate companies make crores of profit using these wealthy plants due to lack of knowledge among the locals,” he said.

*Lack of information affecting the cultivation of medicinal plants*

Dr K H Vinaya Kumar, Fellow, Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute (EMPRI) said that roles played by farmers, forest department, and manufacturers become pivotal in cultivating and managing important plants in the state. “We have to think of alternative ways to cultivate medicinal plants in India as the seed propagation is the only way out right now,” he said adding that lack of information in sustainable harvest, research and marketing, inadequate information on international demand and supply affecting the plant cultivation in India.

Speaking on opportunities and challenges, Dr M J Prabhu, medicinal plant consultant, Bengaluru said that although the demand for medicinal plants increased by 50% according to All India Trade Survey Prioritised Medicinal Plants, the availability of such plants declined to 26%.  He said that the slow growth rate of medicinal plants, illegal trade, lack of traceability of resources are some of the challenges to overcome.

 Environmentalist Dinesh Holla said that for preserving these plants the lives of tribes should be preserved in the Western Ghats.

Dr Subrahmanya Padyana, Director, ATMA Research Centre of Alva’s Ayurveda Medical College identified important medicinal plant species and their uses.

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