ITANAGAR, Jun 22: Emphasizing on enhancing cultivation and proper propagation of valuable and rare medicinal plants which are endemic to the state, Arunachal Pradesh State Medicinal Board (SMPB) chairman BC Tok, called on farmers engaged in cultivation of the medicinal plants to sincerely take up their farming.
Tok was addressing the farmers in a meeting at SMPB here today morning. SMPB member secretary Tapu Gapak was also present in the meet with the board scientists.
The farmers have taken up cultivation of Taxus Baccata and Paris Polyphylla which is a ‘Pilot Project’ under SMPB and National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) since July 2016.
After hearing the problems and grievances of the farmers in cultivation of the medicinal plants, SMPB chairman Tok assured that communication for proper remedial measures would be taken up at NMPB so that the cultivation flow is not affected at the ground level.
SMPB member secretary T Gapak also underscored the need for sincerity in cultivation by the farmers so that the ‘Pilot Project’ turned into a success story and other new projects could follow smoothly.
Informing that there is no known established practice on cultivation of Paris Polyphylla across the world till now, Gapak added that the project would enable all concerned to know and understand the real ground knowledge in cultivation of Paris Polyphylla. So success of the project was an important one, added Gapak.
He alongwith the scientists also gave tips to the farmers on how to continue with the project so that the second phase would follow.
It was also decided that the field visits with NMPB members to the cultivations would be done in last part of July.
Earlier updating the activities taken up under the ‘Pilot Project’, SMPB scientist Dekbin Yonggam informed about various insufficiencies and good practices taken up by the farmers engaged in cultivation of the medicinal plants.
Farmers from Anini and Mechuka are taking up cultivation of Taxus Baccata while the farmers from Mariyang, Komkar and Daporijo are engaged in farming of Paris Polyphylla.
Progressive farmer from Komkar village under Upper Siang, Vijay Taram, who has been selected from the state for Mandarin cultivation in a recent Ministry of Agriculture competition for ‘Best Farmer’ contest, is also engaged in cultivation of Paris Polyphylla under SMPB.
