The State Medicinal Plants Board (SMPB) Kerala is a government organisation under the AYUSH Department whose mission is to coordinate matters relating to medicinal plant cultivation, conservation, promotion, research and development in Kerala.
The Kerala State is a rich repository of plant diversity due to its peculiar phytogeography. Medicinal plants are a significant component of Kerala's plant resource spectrum. The global clamour for more herbal ingredients creates opportunities for local cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants, also the controlled and sustainable harvesting of wild plants.
SMPB is implementing various prestigious projects in the State namely Ex-situ & In-situ conservation of medicinal plants, School Herbal Gardens, Home Herbal Gardens, Institutional Herbal Gardens, Conservation of Sacred Grooves with medicinal plants, programs for creation of awareness among the students and public.
Read MoreThese brochures facilitate the consistent interpretation of the cultivation and use of medicinal plants through photos and explanatory notes.
Read Nowe-Channel for Herbs, Aromatic, Raw material And Knowledge. This is a platform to enable information exchange between various stakeholders involved in the medicinal plants sector.
Visit NowIn Kasaragod it is one of the schemes under KANI or Kudumbashree for Agricultural New Intervention project. Sweet thulasi cultivation began in June and is now on an expansion mode. Its medicinal benefits have been documented, especially in treating lifestyle diseases and for controlling dandruff and hair fall. It is also a permissible ingredient in food products.
Kurumthotti, the latest addition, is being grown by a five-member JLG at Varavoor on 2.5 acres. It was planted in June and will be harvested by December. Ayurveda hospitals, medicine manufacturing companies and institutions collect the plants, among them being Kottakkal Arya Vaidyasala, Oushadhi, Medimix etc.
In Kannur, the cultivation is part of tribal development programmes and is now in its third phase of expansion. They started it on three acres at Vathilmada tribal hamlet. Adalodakam, kurumthotti and chethikoduveli were the varieties cultivated by the 10-member JLG. In addition, they generated revenue by selling the saplings of ramacham, thulasi, cheroola, chethikoduveli, adalodakam and shathavari
Kudumbashree or the State Poverty Eradication Mission of Kerala Government, which is a community organisation of Neighbourhood Group of women, launched medicinal plant cultivation in 2018. They have received subsidies from the State Medicinal Plant Board (SMPB), Besides giving subsidies, SMPB has been giving planting material to Kudumbashree, says TK Hrideek, CEO, SMPB.