Urgent Action Needed: National Medicinal Plants Board CEO Warns of Potential Danger to Our Future if Medicinal Plants are not Protected Now
News Article: The 'Eden of Elixirs' Medicinal Garden: A Community-Led Approach to Medicinal Plant Conservation
The 'Eden of Elixirs' Medicinal Garden, established by the Manav Rachna Centre for Medicinal Plant Pathology (MRCMPP), was recently inaugurated at Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIRS). The garden, designed in the shape of a flower with eight petals, represents different systems of the human body and contains over 130 species of medicinal and aromatic plants.
Dr. Mahesh Kumar Dadhich, CEO of the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), delivered a message about the critical importance of preserving medicinal plant heritage. He emphasized the need for community participation in conservation efforts, particularly at the 'Eden of Elixirs', as it serves as a cornerstone in safeguarding medicinal plant resources for future generations.
Community participation in the garden supports conservation in several key ways. Empowerment of local farmers is achieved through the provision of high-quality planting material (QPM) of medicinal plants by MRCMPP. This enables rural communities to cultivate medicinal plants sustainably, even in challenging marginal and waterlogged areas, thus creating sustainable livelihoods alongside conservation.
The garden also serves as a live, practical botanical classroom for students and researchers, fostering awareness and appreciation of medicinal plants. The educational outreach nurtures community knowledge and promotes replication of such gardens in schools and community centers, expanding conservation impact nationally.
Preservation of traditional knowledge is another crucial aspect of community engagement at the 'Eden of Elixirs'. This approach helps document and keep alive the ethnobotanical knowledge surrounding medicinal plants, bridging generational gaps. Many communities rely on endemic plants for healthcare, especially where modern medicine is inaccessible or costly. The garden and related initiatives actively involve students and experts to compile comprehensive medicinal plant knowledge, stimulating cultural sustainability alongside biodiversity conservation.
The garden's alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) demonstrates the multi-dimensional benefits of community involvement in medicinal plant conservation. Specifically, it addresses SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).
Dr. Mahesh Kumar Dadhich highlighted 'Eden of Elixirs' as a successful model for community-inclusive conservation that can be replicated across India, especially via government programs instituting herbal gardens in schools to promote nutrition security through medicinal plants.
The 'Eden of Elixirs' Medicinal Garden exemplifies how involving local communities in cultivation, education, and traditional knowledge preservation creates a robust, sustainable framework that benefits both biodiversity conservation and community well-being for future generations.
The event also marked the launch of "A Comprehensive Book on Medicinal Plants," edited by Dr. Nidhi Didwania and Dr. Jeetendra Kumar. Dr. Dadhich advocated for the replication of community-driven initiatives like the Eden of Elixirs in schools and community centers nationwide, reaffirming MRIIRS's dedication to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The garden is supported by the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, and its aesthetic appeal is enhanced by a pond with a Blue Water Lily (Neel Kamal) at its centre.
- The 'Eden of Elixirs' Medicinal Garden, while fostering awareness and appreciation of medicinal plants, serves as a practical classroom for both students and researchers, thereby contributing to the field of education-and-self-development and lifelong-learning.
- Future sustainable events related to healthcare, health-and-wellness, and science, can be held within the 'Eden of Elixirs' Medicinal Garden, showcasing the Garden's potential as a versatile learning and outreach platform.
- The approach taken by the 'Eden of Elixirs' Medicinal Garden in preserving traditional knowledge about medicinal plants is closely aligned with the principles of community knowledge conservation and might inspire similar initiatives in other fields, such as education and culture.
- The establishment of more Medicinal Gardens designed in the likeness of the 'Eden of Elixirs' at schools and community centers across India under the guidance of the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) will contribute to environmental conservation while facilitating education-and-self-development and providing opportunities for lifelong-learning.
