Imphal, December 11 2008: WITH A series of deliberation on growing business of medicinal plants across the globe, two days International Conclave on Medicinal Plants for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was formally inaugurated at the RIMS jubillee hall here today.

With the objective of promoting medicinal plants, the conclave is being organised by the Department of Forest, Government of Manipur in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Government of India and AYUSH with the support of World Health Organisation (WHO) India chapter and Ministry of DoNER.

State's Environment and Forest Minister, Th Debendra, inaugurating the conclave, called upon the delegates both national and international "to start a new era of collaboration in the management, cultivation, sustainable, cultivation, processing, marketing and research so that we can give boost to the sector".

Stating that there is urgent need to push industrialization based on medicinal plants, the minister said, "the time has come to draw up comprehensive action plans to tap the potential for the development of the people of the region".

Anita Das, former secretary of Department of AYUSH, Government of India while giving her speech during the conclave said that as there are similarities in the forest conditions of the member countries, there is need to share experience, learn from each other, evolve a common strategy.

"The sector is critically important for the region as it can create sustainable livelihood for the people" she added and called upon the delegates "to put their best effort to deliberate on each aspect of medicinal plants sector and come out with actionable recommendations".

In his welcome note, S Singsit,Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Manipur said there is resurgence of use of traditional medicine across the globe.According to an estimate of World Health Organisation in 2002,the global market of traditional therapies stands at 60,000 million US dollars and is growing steadily.

Further global market for medicinal herbs and herbal products is estimated to touch 5 trillion US dollars by 2050 .

Besides prominent scientists and experts across the country including Sonali Bisht,representative of FAO of UN,over ten international delegates from Laos, Bhutan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Nepal, Veitnam,Thailand, Brunei and Cambodia have been participating in the conclave which is scheduled to continue till Friday.

Though Manipur is a tiny state,it has about 1200 medicinal plants species including 420 indigenous medicinal plants and all these are set to receive a big boost during the conclave.

Comment