States covered: Orissa, Rajasthan and West Bengal

Rapid Assessment of the Threats to the medicinal plants was done through Conservation Assessment and Management Prioritisation (CAMP) workshop at the state level. The workshop aimed at assigning the IUCN’s quantitative Red list system to categorize each species to a degree of endangerment based on the estimates of the threats to the population and their habitat.  A total of 113 plants were assessed altogether in the three states.

The trade regulation component was under implementation in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In Kerala 52 species were considered out of which 7 species were selected for developing action areas for ensuring their conservation. In the case of Tamil Nadu, the consultants were identified for taking up the study.

States covered: Orissa, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh

Based on the inputs from the CAMP workshop, different conservation sites were selected in each state for in-situ conservation of Medicinal Plants. These sites were selected in each state so as to cover the different forest types, distribution and abundance of medicinal plants and the habitats important for them. Altogether in the 4 states 42 sites were selected for establishing the MPCAs for critically endangered and endangered species.

States covered: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Maharashtra

Seed center component is one of the ex-situ methods for conservation in order to ensure the long term supply of medicinal plant seeds.  Need assessment studies to find out the supply and demand for medicinal plant seeds and planting materials was completed in all five states. Of the 45 important medicinal plant species for targeted action 33 species are Red Listed. The following table shows the number of species prioritized for each of the seed centres.

States covered: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh

To ensure the long term supply of medicinal plants in the wild and their sustainable collection, necessary training programs were organised in all the project states. Survey and demarcation of areas for collection was completed in all the sites. The species for sustainable harvesting were prioritized and the initial harvesting protocols for all the species were developed. Task teams were constituted and Identity cards were issued to the local people so as to enable them to involve in collection. The table below shows the species prioritized for sustainable collection.

States Covered:Orissa, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh

i) Community Knowledge Registers (CKRs)

ii) Home Herbal Gardens (HHGs)

This component involves the establishment of HHGs in rural households to cater to prioritised health needs of humans, livestock and plants as identified by the local households. NGOs are involved in implementing this component in the states.

States covered: Karnataka

This program was being implemented by Karuna Trust in Karnataka. Twenty Primary Health Centers and 5 Government Ayurvedic Dispensaries all over Karnataka were covered under this project. Seventy-six health conditions were identified of which 10 were prioritized and 9 were selected (4-5 for each PHC). A Users’ guide was prepared and published. More than 210 local healers were identified. CKRs were prepared and published and 25 demo gardens were set up. In order to strengthen the capacities, 25 Arogya-mitras were selected and trained for delivering the traditional remedies. They would be provided with necessary equipments to prepare the different medicinal formulations. These Arogya-mitras began to cater to the healthcare needs of the people. Eighteen species were raised in the nurseries. 

This program was taken up in all the project states. Twenty-nine potential Forest Development Agencies from 9 project sates were nominated by the respective State Forest Departments to develop the capacity to establish Community Owned Enterprises. An action plan was prepared to build the capacity for the FDAs on the concept, legal frameworks, to conduct resource availability study, to prepare business plan, to develop sustainable harvest techniques, Standard operational procedures, quality standards, pricing and operational guidelines.   A six step strategy was developed.

The module for school children was prepared and was tested in select schools. The script for the interactive CD on Traditional Medicine for the medical students was completed. The concept and strategy paper was prepared. 

A Report on the database of Ayurvedic products for Anemia and pregnancy Anemia & their assessment to prioritise the formulae was completed. The Standardization of ingredients, process & product at lab level for product was also been completed.

During the year 2007-08, a series of training and capacity building program were organised under different components: a) Under Design of home herbal gardens and CKRs, 2 training programs were organised wherein NGO partners from 6 states had participated; b) State and division level training programs on the Methodology for Sustainable harvest of Medicinal Plants were organised for the forestry staff involved in the project implementing in the forest divisions of 3 states; c) Three CAMP workshops were organized; d) Four orientation meetings were organised on the establishment of network of MPCAs in 4 states; e) One Orientation meeting on the establishment of state level seed center for medicinal plants was organised for 5 states.  

A CD-ROM on the Database of Medicinal plants of Orissa was released on 21st March, 2008, the World Forestry Day at Bhubaneswar. Necessary Data compilation pertaining to other project states was under progress.

South – South Cooperation to disseminate the best practices
Knowledge exchange visits to different countries are to be organised under this component. Six teams were identified to visit countries such as China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Kenya and Uganda under different themes. The process to conduct such visits was initiated.

Policy Studies to strengthen the medicinal plants sector
The program was taken up for implementation at national level. Two areas were identified to undertake the policy studies.

• Assessing contribution of medicinal plants and traditional knowledge to the health and livelihood security of rural people

In consultation with the experts in the field, the methodology was finalized and the networking institutions/ organizations were identified from each state to collect the data. A questionnaire was developed to this effect. The networking organizations were oriented on the methodology. Data collection from the states was initiated.

• Protection of IPR related to Traditional Health care Knowledge and Resources in India

A consultant from the National Law School India University was identified to undertake the study. A report was obtained from the consultant on the "current status of existing IPR regime in India" along with a detailed report on the case studies on “Documentation of Traditional Knowledge (CKRs), Research & Development in ISM and Ethical Commercialization of Traditional Knowledge.”  A policy brief was taken up for preparation.

• Communication and advocacy program for outreach

A Brochure giving brief information on CCF-II project components their details was designed and printed for general distribution. Two Posters on the Red listed Medicinal plants of Orissa and Rajasthan were published.

• Multilingual website on Home Doctor

The contents of the website have been rendered in Kannada, Tamil and Marathi and uploaded on to the FRLHT website. Content development for the Malayalam, Hindi and Bengali versions are to be completed during 2008-09.

Organised the National Symposium on Plants Resources of India: Linking Conservation, Livelihood and Culture. 14 – 15 March 2008. Sringeri.

Madhusudhan, K N, J R Rao, and G A Kinhal, 2008. Chemical and physical treatments to break the dormancy of forest seeds. Paper presented at the National Symposium on Plants Resources of India: Linking Conservation, Livelihood and Culture. 14 – 15 March 2008. Sringeri.
Kareem A M and S Antrolikar, 2008. Documentation and Assessment Of Local Health Traditions.  Paper presented at the National Symposium on Plants Resources of India: Linking Conservation, Livelihood and Culture. 14 – 15 March 2008. Sringeri.
Deepa G B and G A Kinhal, 2008.  National and International Mandates for Conservation of Medicinal plants. Paper presented at the National Symposium on Plants Resources of India: Linking Conservation, Livelihood and Culture. 14 – 15 March 2008. Sringeri.
Sahana C A, 2007. Development of a Medicinal Plant Policy to be used within the framework of Participatory Forest Management. Paper presented at The Training Programme on Legal and Regulatory Aspects Relating to Natural Resources Management. 26-28th November 2007. Chennai
Kinhal G A Attended and participated in the meeting of the Decision Group of ISSC-MAP of the IUCN / WWF Germany.
Kinhal G A and G S Goraya.  Participated in a workshop on Conservation of Medicinal Plants in Himalayas, organized by the Plant Life International, UK at Kunming, China during 22 -30 April 2007.

During the year 2007-08, regular monitoring of three medicinal plant species (Limonia acidissima, Decalepis hamiltonii, Gymnema sylvestre) at Savanadurga and three species (Garcinia gummi-gutta, Cinnamomum spp. and Vateria indica) at Agumbe was continued for the fourth successive year. The periodic monitoring was performed by the Task team members with the help of technical staff of the FRLHT at both the sites. The yield related parameters such as number and weight of fruits, leaves and roots, germination and regeneration data were collected. Community and statistical analysis were carried to have clear understanding on hypothesis and decision making on adaptive management of species. The results of such analysis have been compiled with six fact sheets. This analysis was also presented to the Decision Board of the ISSC MAP, at Germany during 14th to 18th of Feb 2007.

Advocacy programmes

Community to Community Training

Exposure visit of the Task Team of Savanadurga and Agumbe to Nepal

Publications and production of outreach material

During the year 2007-08, three regional dialogues were conducted. Dialogue for the Southern Region was held at Bangalore, Karnataka with the stakeholders from the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The second one was held at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh for the central region with the stakeholders from Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Orissa. The third one was at Dehradun, Uttarakhand for the northern region with the stakeholders from Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana.

These three regional dialogues were conducted in collaboration with the respective State Medicinal Plants Boards (SMPBs) and the State Forest Departments (SFDs). The consultations were based on the information sourced from the stakeholders, published literature and the findings from the field survey. Suggestions and viewpoints were sought from the stakeholders about the issues related to the sustainable utilisation of medicinal plants, problems faced by different stakeholder groups in handling the NTFPs/medicinal plants, prevailing rules and regulations.

The feedback and the outcome of the consultations would be used draft a medicinal plant policy, that would focus on the issues related to harvest of medicinal plants, transit mechanism, sale and price fixation, trade, manufacture of medicinal products from the raw material. The final Technical Report and the draft proposal regulations were provided to the NMPB for further necessary action.

The aim of the project was to evolve a suitable strategy for creating a feasible environment for cultivation as well as for regulated collection from the wild, through the creation of an effective marketing mechanism for streamlining the marketing of medicinal plants (both collected and cultivated) through a single outlet, under the aegis of Forest Development Agency (FDA) formed under National Afforestation Program (NAP) of Govt. of India. The project was in the interest of resource conservation and enhancing the benefits to the local resource dependent people.

Highlights of the project during the year 2007-08:

Selection of sites

Prioritisation of Focal species

Review of the prevailing rules related to the sale & trade of NTFPs

Proposed method of collection & trade

During the year 2007-08, the state Forest Department of Madhya Pradesh selected FRLHT through a national level competitive technical and financial bidding process to impart CTCT for 210 Village Forest Committees under JSDF project and provided Rs 12.00 lakhs. Accordingly, the Suktara village forest committee in Seoni north forest division in Madhya Pradesh was selected to constitute a task team to organize the CTCT for the master trainers of 210 VFCs. During the year, FRLHT extended its technical and administrative support to organize CTCT at Balagaht Forest training school in Madhya Pradesh.

Under this program a residential course of 13 days was organized to train 800 JFMCs members, 200 secretaries of JFMCs, 100 spearhead team (FD staff and NGOs) from 12 districts. The training included packages of theory, exercises and games selected to resources assessment, NTFP/medicinal plant management, community planning and developing methodology and biodiversity conservation.

The feed back indicated that the content quality and the delivery strategy were of high standards. The feedback also highlighted the CTCT as a novel and efficient method of transferring the learning among the communities.    

14 medicinal plants identified as critically endangered (CR) across three states - West Bengal, Orissa and Rajasthan -. CAMP workshop in these states on 316 shortlisted medicinal plants has resulted in recognizing 14 medicinal plants as critically endangered, 43 as endangered and 59 as vulnerable as per the IUCN threat categories. The shortlisted plants included 126 heavily traded medicinal plants.

35 MPCAs (Medicinal Plant Conservation Area) to conserve the endangered medicinal plants. As long term conservation measure 35 MPCAs are in the process of establishment. These are insitu forest gene banks ensuring survival of the selected species. Target species oriented MPCA is perhaps the first such initiative in the country. Out of these only 20 are supported under the project. Rest of these are state initiatives resulting as an offshoot of the study.

5 seed centres to act as authentic source of propagation material. For cultivation of medicinal plants in five states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu 67 medicinal plants have been shortlisted based on conservation concern and commercial cultivation option. These are out of the total 1270 medicinal plants assessed based on need assessment studies carried out in each state.

One lakh seedlings of Decalepis distributedCritically endangered and highly traded medicinal plant from Karnataka - Decalepis hamiltonii has been promoted for cultivation through forest department and other agencies. Apart from 8 kg of seeds (seeds are light and small) supplied, over a lakh seedlings have also been distributed in various forest divisions of Karnataka for cultivation.

23 species of medicinal plants that are economical and ecological concern for development covered under sustainable harvesting methodsIn three states - Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu following situation analysis on 172 shortlisted plants adaptive management techniques have been developed for 23 species. VFCs of JFM, collectors and traders together involved in the programme and resulted in better economic returns to the needy.

Community to Community training for conservation and sustainable harvestingmethods spreads to other states like Tamilandu and Madhya Pradesh where these concepts are new. More and more forest divisions are opting for this effective technique of community involvement in conservation and resource management.

Business plans for Community owned Enterprise are underway CCF2 project implementation states. Capacity building to selected FDAs in the project states for developing viable medicinal plant based enterprise has been taken up. The three training conducted has helped the states to evolve necessary business plans. At least 3 - 5 such ventures are expected to be operational.

500 Community Health Knowledge Registers (CKRs) prepared and released. This is a quantum leap towards biodiversity management and primary health care management at local level. First time in the country like PBRs, CKRs are made and held by the community. This not only documents the healers and their knowledge but also helps in capacity building of rural community particularly women..

Over 49000 home herbal gardens (HHGs) established and planted over 5 lakh medicinal plants in 5 states viz., Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan and West Bengal. These are of over 20 carefully assessed and shortlised medicinal plants for ensuring health security through primary health care management.

Livelihood issue too addressed. This also provides for income generation through nursery related enterprises and by economic benefits through reduction of health care costs. In the study areas in Orissa state, the monthly expenditure on the health issues was Rs. 730 to Rs. 1025 per 3 months. This has come down to Rs.30 to Rs.50 for same period.

Mainstreaming traditional knowledge into primary health care centres. This unique model of mainstreaming is successfully implemented in over 20 PHCs in Karnataka state. Every primary health center which is a part of this project has a demo-garden and an Arogyamitra as a unit of it. People can opt for traditional health care or the modern health care. Villages like Dindawara have switched to TK for the pediatric health care. Almost all children below 5 years of age are being treated by TK for primary health conditions like fever, cough, cold, diarrhea etc.

Awareness programmes to reach out to masses. Effective posters on state wise redlisted medicinal plants of Rajasthan Orissa and West Bengal and complete check list of medicinal plants of these states are developed and is generating interest in stake holders like forest officials, students, farmers, traders etc. to popularize medicinal plants among students an interactive CD on medicinal plants is distributed and tested for adoption. It as been popularized among students of over 35 schools in Bangalore.

Gender equity ensured. . The project ensures women participation and empowers them to tackle issues of health care and lively hood. 95% of the Arogyamitras in the project on mainstreaming TK into PHC are women. So also socially backward economically weaker classes are involved in the project directly on indirectly.