Promotion of medicinal plants under NMPB

Why in news

The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) is implementing a Central Sector Scheme to promote the cultivation and sustainable management of medicinal plants across India, supporting various activities from conservation to marketing.

Exam relevance

GS2, GS3 · Governance, Economy, Environment & Ecology · Prelims · Mains

Key facts

1. The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) is implementing a Central Sector Scheme titled 'Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants'.
2. The scheme supports activities like Information Education & Communication (IEC), forward and backward linkage in the supply chain, conservation (in-situ and ex-situ), livelihood linkages, R&D, and promotion/marketing of medicinal plant produce.
3. NMPB provides Quality Planting Material (QPM) of medicinal plants to farmers through its Regional-cum-Facilitation Centres (RCFCs).
4. Training and workshops on Good Agriculture Practices (GAPs) and Good Field Collection Practices (GFCPs) are organized by RCFCs.

Prelims pointers

• National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) operates under the Ministry of Ayush.
• The scheme 'Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants' is a Central Sector Scheme.
• Activities supported include IEC, supply chain linkages, conservation, livelihood linkages with various community groups, R&D, and marketing.
• Regional-cum-Facilitation Centres (RCFCs) provide Quality Planting Material (QPM) and training on GAPs and GFCPs.

Mains practice question

Discuss the significance of the National Medicinal Plants Board's initiatives in promoting the cultivation and sustainable management of medicinal plants in India, considering economic, environmental, and social dimensions.

Static linkage

The scheme relates to the Ministry of Ayush, which focuses on traditional Indian systems of medicine. It also connects to rural development, livelihood generation, and biodiversity conservation efforts in India.

Significance

The promotion of medicinal plant cultivation under NMPB is significant for several reasons: it supports the traditional medicine sector, provides alternative livelihood opportunities for rural communities and forest-dependent groups, contributes to biodiversity conservation by encouraging sustainable management of plant resources, and can boost the rural economy through the marketing of medicinal plant produce.