- India
- Mar 03
Initiatives to conserve India’s medicinal, aromatic plant heritage
• The United Nations observes World Wildlife Day on March 3.
• The date was chosen to commemorate the signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which took place on March 3, 1973.
• CITES entered into force 50 years ago on July 1, 1975.
• This year’s theme ‘Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods’, highlights the vital role of these plants in sustaining human health, cultural heritage, and local livelihoods, and showcases the growing pressures they face from habitat loss, overharvesting, and climate change.
What is a medicinal plant?
• There is no single definition of a medicinal plant, yet communities around the world have used various species in traditional medicine since the dawn of time.
• However, their use is not limited to ancient practices, but also a source of modern pharmaceuticals, food, perfumes, cosmetics and household cleaners.
• With the growing interest in natural products in many countries, conversations among proper use and conservation have become even more important.
• Experts from the Medicinal Plant Specialist Group and the Royal Botanic Gardens in London have compiled global databases documenting species and their uses.
• Around 30,000 plant species are widely recognised as medicinal or aromatic plants based on published evidence and trade data.
• Like biodiversity more broadly, medicinal and aromatic plants face growing pressure.
• Recent assessments of European medicinal plants show threats from agricultural expansion, land-use change and unsustainable harvesting of wild plant populations.
• Climate change is also becoming an increasingly serious risk, particularly for species growing in vulnerable habitats such as wetlands and mountain ecosystems.
India’s Rich Biodiversity of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
• It has 15 agro-climatic regions, 45,000 different plant species out of which 15,000 are medicinal plants.
• Of these, about 8,000 species are used in Indian systems of medicine and folk medicines.
• Nearly 70 per cent of India’s medicinal and aromatic plants are found in the tropical forests of the Western and Eastern Ghats, the Himalayas, and the Aravalli range.
• The Botanical Survey of India has identified over 5,250 plant species and documented over 9,567 folk claims for various ailments.
Conservation Mechanism
• India has been taking strong steps to protect this rich heritage.
• The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) runs a dedicated scheme for the conservation and sustainable management of medicinal plants.
• In situ conservation means protecting plants and animals in their natural habitats. It is carried out through national parks, biosphere reserves and gene sanctuaries.
• One important example of such conservation for medicinal plants is the Medicinal Plants Conservation Area initiative (MPCA).
• MPCA is a designated site aimed at protecting medicinal plant species in their natural habitats.
• Presently, 115 MPCA sites in India represent models to implement indigenous health traditions along with biological and cultural diversity using in-situ conservation techniques.
• Ex situ conservation means protecting plant genetic resources outside their natural habitats under controlled conditions to ensure long-term preservation and possible re-introduction into the wild.
• In India, this includes the conservation of 9,361 medicinal and aromatic plant accessions at the National Seed Gene Bank, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), New Delhi.
• These ex-situ methods are used for species with poor seed formation or vegetative propagation. Together, they help secure medicinal plant diversity for future use.
Schemes and Initiatives
The government has launched several key schemes and initiatives to promote the conservation, cultivation, and sustainable use of medicinal plants across the country.
1) National Ayush Mission (NAM)
In the past, the Ministry of AYUSH implemented Medicinal Plant Component under the National Ayush Mission (NAM) to promote the cultivation of medicinal plants integrated with farming systems to support crop diversification and enhance farmer incomes from the financial year 2015-16 to 2020-21. Currently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, under its Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), is promoting the holistic growth of the horticulture sector including medicinal plants. All states and Union Territories are covered under MIDH.
2) Aushadhi Vanaspati Mitra Program (AVMP)
National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) recognises and rewards individuals, communities, and institutions for their outstanding contribution to medicinal plant conservation, cultivation, and marketing. It encourages more people to actively participate in protecting medicinal plants.
3) Central Sector Scheme for Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants
The government of India, through NMPB, runs this flagship scheme with an outlay of Rs 322.41 crore for 2021-22 to 2025-26. Under this scheme, Medicinal Plants Conservation and Development Areas (MPCDAs) are set up to protect plants in their natural habitats. The conservation initiatives are also promoted by supporting plantations on degraded and rural lands. Research and quality assurance are key focus areas, supported through Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACPs) and raw drug repositories across the country.
4) e-CHARAK
To provide a platform for trade of medicinal plants and to provide easy market access National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) has launched ‘e-CHARAK’ mobile application as well as web portal for the promotion and marketing of medicinal plants/herbs.
5) Herbal Gardens and Awareness Programs
Herbal gardens are promoted in schools, institutions, and public spaces to build awareness among students and the general public. Species-specific campaigns are also run on and print media to highlight the importance of medicinal plants in daily life.
6) Livelihood Support to Local Communities
The scheme provides financial and infrastructural support to Joint Forest Management Committees, Self Help Groups, Van Panchayats, and Biodiversity Management Committees. This helps local communities with value addition, drying, warehousing, and marketing of medicinal plants, directly improving their livelihoods.