Meet to promote organic cultivation of medicines

Friday, 27 December 2002, 20:30 IST
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NEW DELHI: A conference on the organic cultivation of medicinal plants begins on the outskirts of Delhi Friday, and it will focus on the marketing of such plants, bio-inputs for farming and a range of related issues. The Herbal Bio-Med Foundation, an NGO that focuses on primary healthcare, is organising the seminar at Bajhera village in Gurgaon district in Haryana. The conference, which ends Monday, is aimed at exploring methods to cash in on a growing demand for medicinal plant-based supplements from natural sources, which are free of synthetic fertilisers or pesticide chemicals. Organisers said the cultivation of medicinal plants could provide rich returns to farmers and cultivators, especially in rural India. The conference is being held in Bajhera because it is a "representative sample" of rural India. "It has challenges and an open field for scientists, financial institutions and promotional agencies to plant the seeds of their activities and demonstrate their strength in the field of developmental activities," said a statement. The sessions will deal with cultivation know how for medicinal plants, quality certified seed-planting material, bio-inputs for organic farming, countrywide products outlets, marketing of medicinal plants, and a session on ayurveda. In an exhibition at the fair, the spotlight will be on plant-based medicines, drugs, beverages, herbal health foods and body-hair cosmetics.
Source: IANS
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