Chapter 3 - Conservation and Cultivation of Herbs: Challenge and Policy Making

Abstract

Conservation and cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants are now actualizing concepts of approaches of integrated ecosystem and landscape. Agroforestry is a prime strategy for improving and establishing medicinal and aromatic herbs in farms and overextensive agricultural landscapes that ensure livelihood of tribal communities besides conserving MAPs. However, in order to establish agroforestry over an extended area and exploit its highest advantage, there must be an implementation of proper policy and regulation extended to tribal and marginal farmers with lucid objectives for plant protection that contribute to proper functioning of ecosystem and sustainable development of Himalayan tribal communities. However, sustained agroforestry is hampered by complex policy for systemic market limitations, incongruity between progress strategies and conservation objectives, and discrepancies in institutional and authoritarian frameworks. In order to ascertain conservation landscape strategies more effectual, there is an immediate requirement for coordination between farmers and conservationists to improve livelihood of farmers. Local farmers and tribal communities can contribute to expansion and development of herbal sector by bringing cultivation and conservation of wild herbs possible by inculcating their indigenous knowledge and farm practices. Hence, our prime objective is to explore and conserve medicinal and aromatic herbs by bridging gap between farmers and modern contrivances that could expand and develop functioning of medicinal plant sector together with upliftment of impoverished communities. This chapter will summarize steps taken in order to ensure conservation including proper documentation pertaining to documentation of diversity in medicinal plant sector, sustainable use of medicinal aromatic plants, and strengthening legalized market system.