MEDICINAL PLANTS

Project Title: Sustainable livelihoods through organic cultivation of medicinal plants in the upper regions of the Kullu Valley

Goal: To improve the economy of marginal farmers in the Kullu Valley by developing an industry of high quality organically cultivated medicinal plants.

Summary: The future of many valuable medicinal plants in the Kullu Valley is being serously threatened by over-harvesting. This is being caused by a number of reasons, including lack of environmental awareness, growing demand for medicinal plants, low prices in the local market and lack of alternative sources of income.

The situation therefore presents both a challenge and an opportunity; the challenge is to protect these plants from further exploitation, while the opportunity is to make use of the growing market by developing sustainable cultivation practices that can provide income to farmers now as well as in the future.

We have already carried out work on this project during the last two years; this section of the website therefore combines details of what we have already implemented with what we are aiming to achieve.

Main Objectives

To provide training in medicinal plant cultivation to a minimum of 200 villagers during the next three years To document all the medicinal plants growing in the Chukinulla watershed To develop two large-scale nurseries of one hectare each during the next three years To help the Village Forest Development Committees of Chajogi and Hallan villages establish organically certified cultivation / propagation areas in the Chandrikani area. To participate with other NGOs in establishing an extension system for marketing medicinal plants.

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