In a significant move to boost the cultivation and use of medicinal plants across India, a comprehensive stakeholder consultation was held on Monday at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi. The meeting was co-chaired by the Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) and the Ministry of AYUSH. It brought together key representatives from various ministries, research bodies like ICAR, State Medicinal Plant Boards, progressive farmers, and private players from the medicinal plant industry.
The consultation reflected a shared vision to unlock the potential of India’s traditional medicinal heritage and empower farmers through sustainable livelihood opportunities. Shri Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, emphasized the untapped potential in domestic production and export of medicinal plants. He stressed on the importance of greater convergence between AYUSH and Agriculture departments, and collaboration with State Medicinal Plant Boards, to drive coordinated efforts across the country. He also mentioned the inclusion of medicinal plants under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), highlighting the need for a mission-mode approach to identify best cultivation practices and modern techniques for the sector’s upliftment.
Echoing these sentiments, Shri Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of AYUSH, pointed out the remarkable growth in the AYUSH manufacturing sector—having expanded eightfold in the last decade. He highlighted the growing domestic and international demand for AYUSH products, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, which has reignited interest in natural and holistic health solutions.
The session focused on building a robust ecosystem for medicinal plants by developing region-specific clusters, fostering industry partnerships for assured procurement, and establishing dedicated marketing platforms to ensure fair pricing for farmers. Discussions also revolved around enhancing research, training, and outreach activities to build technical capacity among farmers and other stakeholders.
Participants put forth the need to identify crop-specific areas for cluster development, aimed at increasing cultivated area, strengthening farmer-industry linkages, and creating specialized mandis to support farmers with sustainable returns. In his concluding remarks, Shri Priya Ranjan, Joint Secretary (Horticulture), underscored the importance of policy support and financial incentives to motivate more farmers to adopt medicinal plant cultivation.
The consultation not only marked a step forward in harnessing India’s rich biodiversity for economic growth but also underscored a compassionate and sustainable approach to rural development, putting farmers and traditional knowledge at the center of a promising future.
