SMPB NEWS

Kudumbasree Units are on Medicinal Plant Cultivation

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

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.

During 2018-19, 176 Kudumbasree started cultivating medicinal plants in 530 acres covering six districts. As of March 31, 2021, it grew to over 692 acres across seven districts with 878 Kudumbasree involved in it. The area of cultivation has gone up in the last few months with more districts starting their gardens and the existing ones expanding the area of cultivation.

Among the varieties grown are thulasi (holy basil), kattarvazha, kacholam (aromatic ginger), turmeric, kasturi manjal (wild turmeric), naikarunam (cowitch or cowage), kurumthotti (bala), brahmi (water hyssop), adalodakam (Malabar nut), mukkootti (little tree plant), koduveli (Indian leadwort), shathavari (climbing asparagus or wild asparagus) and ramacham.