Medicinal Plant Seminar

The Centre for Biodiversity Conservation and Rural Development (CBCRD) is dedicated to preserving the rich tradition of ethnobotany and medicinal plant knowledge in Kerala, particularly in the region stretching from Palode to Peringammala, Vitura, and Nanniyode. This area, once a hub of traditional healing practices, has seen a decline in the knowledge and cultivation of medicinal plants due to modern influences. In response to this, CBCRD has partnered with the State Medicinal Board (SMPB) to organize programs focused on conservation and awareness. A significant initiative was the medicinal plant seminar held at Nanniyode, in collaboration with the local Grama Panchayat and the Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC). The seminar, attended by 489 environmentalists and farmers, aimed to revive the culture of medicinal plant cultivation and featured sessions led by experts in traditional medicine and environmental conservation. To ensure the seminar's momentum led to concrete action, CBCRD collected applications from individuals interested in cultivating medicinal plants. These were forwarded to the Medicinal Plants Board, resulting in the allocation of subsidies for 7 hectares of land; subsidies for 10 hectares are under process; and the planting of various species:

1. Sarca asoca (അശോകം): 500 plants

2. Piper longum (തിപ്പലി): 2 hectares

3. Asparagus racemosus (ശതാവരി): 2 hectares

4. Pterocarpus marsupium (വേങ്ങ): 500 plants

5. Kaempferia galanga (കച്ചോലം): 1 hectare

6. Plumago indica (ചെത്തി കൊടുവേലി): 1 hectare

Through these efforts, CBCRD is not only safeguarding Kerala's traditional medicine heritage but also fostering a renewed respect for the natural world and its timeless wisdom.