TRAINING AND AWARENESS
The first step in introducing medicinal plant cultivation as a sustainable source of income is to raise awareness of the existing problems and to provide training in cultivation techniques.
From the months of May to September 2003 Ananda organised a number of training sessions with both the ISM Herbal Gardens in Jogindernagar and the Himalayan Forest Research Institute (HFRI) in Shimla. This training was given to four different village groups, a total of 75 people. Below is a selection of photographs from these training sessions:
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| Youth group from Chajogi attending training at ISM Herbal Gardens in Jogindernagar |
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Women's group and members of Chajogi VFDC attending field training in Chajogi village | |
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| Lecturers from ISM Herbal Gardens providing training in the library of IRMT in Naggar |
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A village group from Hallan after training from lecturers of Himalayan Forest Research Institute at IRMT | |
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| A village group from Naggar attending training at HFRI's medicinal plant nursery in Jagatsukh |
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A lecturer from HFRI demonstrating root division of Valeriana jatamansi at Jagatsukh nursery |
The training sessions shown above included important issues such as identification of medicinal plants, uses and preparation of medicine in the home, intercropping with agroforestry tree species, vermicomposting techniques and marketing.
As part of a larger project proposed for the next three years, we aim to build our own team of 3 or 4 local trainers so that we can reach more people more frequently at less cost. In 2004 we also aim to create our own training film in local language, highlighting all the issues described above and providing step-by-step instructions for those people who wish to start cultivating medicinal plants. This film will be broadcasted regularly on cable television, shown in villages and distributed on VCD. We shall also bring in other education films that can be translated into local language and shown to villagers in the same way. Likewise, we also aim to publish awareness leaflets and newsletters to be distributed in Naggar and Hallan Panchayats.