Medicinal Herbs Cultivation - A Success Story

Today, the hilly regions of Uttarakhand are facing serious problems related to agriculture. The farmers deserted their fields and the population is weakened by a rural migration. The future of hilly regions seemed uncertain. However, the mountain people did not give up. They looked for new solutions to look after their life in hilly regions. It was necessary to innovate, to find new solutions. Among these, the cultivation of medicinal herbs, new to the hills, captured the attention of some pioneers. Young farmers organize the cultivation production of medicinal and aromatic herbs and trade, and enhance their income. The following goals mentioned here are still pertinent today:

Ø  Maintain a type of agriculture respectful of the hill environment;

Ø  Encourage diversity in agricultural production;

Ø  Foster additional income for hilly people;

Ø  Fight against the exodus from villages;

Ø  Enhance the beauty of landscapes.

This story is centered around the successful collaboration between ALPINE HERBAL HUB, Prop. Ashutosh Pokhriyal and the community of Govind Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park (GWSNP) to exploit the potential of medicinal plants to improve the financial situation of the people.    

There was a great potential for Alpine Medicinal Herbs viz., Atish (Aconitum heterophyllum), Vatsnabh (Aconitum atrox or ferox), Kuth (Saussurea costus or lappa), Kutaki (Picrorhiza scrophulariflora), Amlich (Hippophae rhamnoides) and Puskarmool (Inula racemosa) in the Govind Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park, but nothing had been done about it. Govind Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park administratively comes under the Mori block of district Uttarkashi of Uttarakhand. It is situated in within 31° 18"- 33°51" north latitude and 77° 4-9"-78° 55" east longitude and is having 42 villages spread in an area of 957.969 sq.k.m. and the altitude varies from 1300 mts. to 6323 mts. It starts right from confluence of Rupin and Supin rivers at Naitwar and includes the entire drainage basin of these said rivers. Atish (Aconitum heterophyllum), Vatsnabh (Aconitum atrox or ferox), Kutaki (Picrorhiza scrophulariflora) and Amlich (Hippophae rhamnoides) grow there naturally.

Then in 1999 Ashutosh Pokhriyal went into this area with an NGO – Society for Himalayan Environmental Research to implement its Integrated Conservation and Development Project. But NGO were dependant on projects activities. Later than stopping the projects of NGO, he started cultivation of medicinal herbs due to realizing the unexploited potential of medicinal herbs there; he decided to get local populace involved to cultivate these herbs. Therefore he first mobilized the villagers of Gangar Village, a village in the Har-Ki-Doon valley, into this line of thinking and then started a cultivation of Alpine Medicinal Herbs – Atish (Aconitum heterophyllum), Vatsnabh (Aconitum atrox or ferox), Kuth (Saussurea costus or lappa), Kutaki (Picrorhiza scrophulariflora) and Amlich (Hippophae rhamnoides) in their own agricultural fields with his friend Mr. Pradeep Singh Rawat (a local resident of that area).

Nursery

Nursery production is an attractive farm enterprise provides much scope for self employment of rural youth and women. The enterprise requires little area and least initial investment. But technical knowledge and access to the produce (Planting material) are important to start the enterprise. Considering the demand for production of quality planting material and the need for creation of employment in the field of medicinal herb cultivation, vocational training on nursery techniques and cultivation were conducted in the duration of 07 days in 2009 to National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB), New Delhi, sponsored farmers of Mori Block of Uttarkashi district by the Herbal Research and Development Institute (HRDI), Mandal, Gopeshwer, Chamoli, Uttarakhand.

Being equipped with the nursery skills by the training programmes, Ashutosh Pokhriyal started a nursery unit for Atish (Aconitum heterophyllum) in an area of 4.0 Ha. with the buyback arrangement of their produce. They are concentrating mainly on the production of medicinal herbs as well as Kutki (Picrorhiza scrophulariflora), Kuth (Saussurea costus), Amlich (Hippophae rhamnoides) Puskarmool (Inula racemosa) and Archa (Rheum austral). They are producing the nursery plants approximately 08 lac on order basis and getting approximately a monthly income of Rs.18000/-. Medicinal herbs like Atish (Aconitum heterophyllum), Kutki (Picrorhiza scrophulariflora) and Kuth (Saussurea costus) are produced in large scale. Apart from producing nursery plants they are maintaining more than 30 high value medicinal and aromatic herbs. Except this, Ashutosh Pokhriyal is also started during 2010-11 horticultural (Apple) nurseries in an area of 0.4 Ha. and earning Rs. 80,000 per year.