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Project to popularise medicinal plants
Centre For Social Forestry and Eco-Rehabilitation under the Indian Council Of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) is all set to generate awareness among people specially farmers about the relevance of medicinal plants.
Centre For Social Forestry and Eco-Rehabilitation under the Indian Council Of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) is all set to generate awareness among people specially farmers about the relevance of medicinal plants.
According to the Centre head, Birendra Choudhary, "Project on 'developing medicinal plant nursery for generating awareness amongst local people' which is an in-house project and has been financed by ICFRE has been undertaken with the objective to create medicinal plant nursery, to promote medicinal plants as agro-forestry cash crop and to make available the stock of medicinal plants for local people".
Under this project there are certain variety of medicinal plants including satawar, kalmegh, chitrak, bawachi, sanay, kasturi bhindi, tulsi, gudmar, ghritkumari, sadabahaar, safed musli, giloy, butch and ashwgandha whose demonstration plot has been developed at Padila near Phaphamau.
"We are holding training programmes for farmers and also generating awareness about the use of various parts of medicinal plant", said research officer Dr Anubha Srivastava.
"The roots and leaves of satawar are used for sharpening memory and increasing physical strength. Moreover, it is diuretic and anti-dysenteric. Likewise, in case of safed musli, it's rhizome are useful.
A tincture of whole plant is used in urinary infections and rheumatism. It's roots are more diuretic than shoots and infusion is used against jaundice and lever problems. Its root as well as bark is used for vitality and strength," added Dr Srivastava.
"Through this project we have encouraged the farmers for the cultivation of medicinal plants. But the fact that unorganised marketing channel of not only medicinal plants but all the non-timber forest products in Eastern UP is becoming an obstacle in convincing the farmers for cultivation of such plants", said Dr Srivastava.
"However, we are making efforts in this direction and soon the objective will be achieved", said Choudhary.
