Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd. (TRIFED) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs & National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH signed an MoU today which aims to promote Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) forest produce for livelihood development of tribal people by promoting primary level value addition to MAPs produce from forest area at grassroots level.
At the event marking the signing of the MoU, Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said that while tribal people have been growing medicinal plants, they are as yet unaware of the actual value of their produce. This MoU will help them realise the potential of their produce and help them achieve the true remuneration of their product.
The Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik said that the MoU will help in employment generation and skill upgradation of tribal people and will prove to be beneficial for them.
The activities proposed to be supported by NMPB are:
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To identify potential Medicinal plant species of the tribal areas.
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To support training and awareness program on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) & Good Field Collection Practices (GFCP).
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Support skill upgradation and capacity building.
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Facilitate and render financial assistance for plantations and nursery development for MAPs through the Van Dhan Vikas Kendra SHGs.
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Facilitate standardising norms for MAPs, render assistance for establishing of research and testing centre.
The activities proposed to be supported by TRIFED are: -
Establishment of the ‘Van-Dhan Vikas Kendra’ specifically for Medicinal plants & its products, for providing skill upgradation and capacity building including training in primary processing and primary processing facility.
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Creation of Van Dhan SHGs clusters under the Van Dhan Vikas Kendra that would undertake primary value addition of the MFPs based on MFPs available in the area and provide facility for MAPs raw material primary processing i.e cleaning, packaging & storage facility etc.
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Setting-up of primary processing facility, infrastructure support and value addition facility for MAPs.
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Supply chain for Minor Forest Produce (MFPs)
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Provision of working capital for the SHGs through tie up with financial institutions and other organizations.
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To establish herbal garden of various types to develop and promote the usefulness of commonly available and frequently used Medicinal Plants through SHGs involved in Van Dhan Vikas Kendra.
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Research and Development studies on Medicinal Plants collected by MFP gatherers. In consultation with NMPB and TRIs
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For standardising norms for MAPs, setting up Research and testing centres.in consultation with NMPB.
The MoU will be an important milestone in mainstreaming the tribal community by empowering the tribal gatherers engaged in collection & sale of MFPs/ NTFPs (Non-Timber Forest Produce).
