Tahir Ali

Nature has bestowed Madhya Pradesh with innumerous rare medicinal plants. Large-scale programmes have been launched by Madhya Pradesh government for conservation and augmentation of this forest wealth lying spread in various regions of the state. One of the efforts including holding of Van Melas (Forest Festivals) at Bhopal and other regions of the state which have received people’s widespread cooperation and support. Production of medicinal plants-based medicines has gone up worldwide during the last decade. Keeping this in view, the state government is organising Vindhya Herbals National Forest Mela for the last six years for providing a joint platform to growers, collectors, traders and medicine producers. The seventh National Forest Festival is being organised from December 11 to 16, 2007 at Bhopal.

The Forest Department has taken initiative for getting rare medicinal plants patented and authenticated of various Indian and traditional systems of medicine. As part of these efforts, ISO certificate has been secured for products made under the trademark ‘Vindhya Herbal Brand’ by Vanoshadhi Prasanskaran and Anusandhan Sansthan (Medicinal Plants Processing and Research Institute) situated at Barkhera Pathani in Bhopal. The institute has been established under MP Rajya Laghu Vanopaj Sangh. The institute has succeeded in publicising and selling the products made under this brand throughout India.

The Indian systems of medicine based on medicinal plants and herbs have been recognised at the international level. This is reason why the demand of medicinal plants and herbs is rising constantly. The development rate of medicinal plants in the world is at present 6 to 7 percent but in Rs 62,000 crore market of herbs-based medicines’ trade India’s share is only 3 percent.

Medicinal plants are not only helping in building an illness-free society, but are also strengthening national economy and providing source of livelihood for lakhs of people residing forest villages. In Madhya Pradesh, which is rich in non-wood forest resources, well-planned efforts are being undertaken to conserve and augment various species of medicinal plants. Besides, farming of medicinal plants is also being encouraged to provide source of constant income to families depend on forests. Cooperation is being given to the medicinal plants growers in finding market for their produce apart from giving them necessary guidance and technical know-how. In this way medicinal plants have become an important source of income for living in forest areas.

Several species of medicinal plants have come on the brink of extinction due to wanton and unscientific plucking. Efforts are being made to save these species from extinction apart from bit to augment them. Knowledge about medicinal plants is confined to a few tribal Veds. By reviving traditional Ved system, efforts are being made to utilise this knowledge for public benefit. This is also helping in conservation of little-known but very important medicinal plants. A better system for processing, storage, quality control and marketing is being evolved for medicinal and fragrant plants. In this series 35 small storerooms have been constructed in the state. At Sah Utkrisht Kendra, Barkhera Pathani Bhopal, a modern and well-equipped laboratory is being run where production, packaging and marketing of natural honey and 150 Ayurvedic medicines have been started. Sanjivani Ayurved retail outlets of Vindhya Herbal Brands are also making their presence in six cities of Madhya Pradesh.

Herbal Mandis have been arranged in Bhopal, Indore and Jabalpur ushering in interest among farmers about growing and selling medicinal and fragrant plants. Every year Van Melas and buyer-seller conferences are organised at Bhopal, Jabalpur, Gwalior and Indore for the sake of benefiting growers of medicinal plants. ‘Van Dhan’ tri-monthly magazine is taken out for boosting knowledge of medicinal plants growers.

With the cooperation of Health and Family Welfare Ministry, New Delhi, an ambitious project ‘Vanaspati Van’ is being conducted. Financial assistance being provided by National Medicines and Flowers Board which is playing an important role in popularising cultivation of medicinal plants among the farmers. Rs 25.71 crore financial assistance has been provided to 1112 farmers by National Medicines and Flowers Board.

Under Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana, a project to provide sustained employment through Anola plantation is being conducted in two districts of the state namely Balaghat and Gwalior. This project is being run in the coordination of Forest Department and District Panchayats. Efforts to revive cultivation of Lakh were undertaken since the year 2001. As a result of this, now 40 thousand tonnes of Lakh is being produced every year in 20 districts of Madhya Pradesh. Lakh is an important export product and its cultivation has immense potential of income.

Several Ayurvedic medicines, cosmetics and food products are being churned out by many Primary Forest Produce Cooperative Committees (Prathmik Vanopaj Sahkari Samiti). These products confirm to the laid down standard of quality. Despite all these steps, there are still more possibilities in the area of medicinal plants and non-wood forest produce. Through dedicated efforts, correct guidance and people’s cooperation this great wealth can be conserved, augmented and saved for the posterity apart from their utilisation and marketing.

Another ambitious project is being conducted with the financial assistance from UNDP for preservation of medicinal plants in natural forests and providing employment to forest dwellers depend on these medicinal plants. Under the project work to conserve and augment areas important in the context of medicinal plants is going on in 11 districts of the state. Besides, areas for implementing Samvahniya Vidohan Programme have been selected in Anuppur and Shivpur districts.