Tropentag, October 6 - 8, 2009 in Hamburg "Biophysical and Socio-economic Frame Conditions for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources"

Medicinal Plant Resource Management for Health and Livelihood Security in Some Rural Parts of India

Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Tradition, Community Health Education and Outreach, India

Abstract

435 local health traditions were documented for 61 prioritised health conditions from selected areas of Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu were done. Thirteen Community Health Knowledge registers were prepared for 13 locations. The documented local health traditions were rapidly assessed for selecting the safe and efficacious practices using Indian Systems of Medicine especially Ayurveda and Sidha. 388 safe and efficacious local remedies were identified. These safe and efficacious practices were promoted through 21,454 Home Herbal Gardens (HHG). 91 Nurseries were established and 5,24,418 seedlings were raised. These seedlings were used to establish 21,454 HHGs in 451 villages. 2083 Women Village Resource Persons (VRPs) were trained for establishing HHG and using the plants grown in the HHG for preparation of home remedies as the first response to any primary health care needs. These VRPs in turn trained the households to establish and use the HHG for their primary health care needs. A training manual on Home Herbal Garden was prepared in local languages and given to the VRPs. The baseline survey indicated that households in these areas used to spend an average Rs. 391 per quarter for their PHC needs. An intervention feed back study showed that at the end of three years period the expenditure has come down to Rs. 82. Thus the family saves on average Rs. 308 per quarter.
Thirteen community based enterprises were registered. 29 economically important local species had undergone cultivation trial and package of practice for 24 species had been prepared. 18 species of raw drug are collected and sold in the local markets and the CBE has earned about Rs.13,95219 in the last two years. There are 71 products produced in 13 community based enterprises and marketed through various CBOs such as SHG and Cooperative
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Keywords: Community health knowledge register, home herbal garden, livelihood, local health traditions, medicinal plants, primary health care

Contact Address: Balakrishnan Nair, Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Tradition, Community Health Education and Outreach, 74/2 Jarakabande Kaval Attur Post via Yelahanka, 560 064 Bangalore, India, e-mail: nair.mnbfrlht.org