An Overview

Arunachal Pradesh is situated in the eastern Himalayas. It is considered as one of the 12 mega hotspot area of the world in view of the richness of biological and habitat diversity. The state has 61.5% of its total geographical area is under forest cover as per the Forest Survey of India report (2011). The physiography and wide-ranging altitudinal variations have resulted in nearly 20 different forest types, from foothills to alpine. The forest harbors high endemism and comparatively higher incidence of rare and threatened plants. Presence of numerous species of primitive plants and wild relative of cultivated plants truly justify the region to be recognized as “cradle of flowering plants” and “biological gateway” of biological resources.

Due to this varied forest types and vegetation type Arunachal Pradesh is home to more than  500 different Medicinal Plants species and can be termed as nature’s repository of medicinal plants(Haridasan et al;1996). It is home to endemic species like Coptis teeta, Amentotaxus asssmica, Gymnocladus assamicus and other important medicinal plants species like Panax sikkimensis, Illicium griggthii, Swertia chiriayita, Aconitum heterophyllum, Rubia majit etc which has hughe demand in the pharmaceutical industries for economic conversion and livelihood generation.

Medicinal plants are mostly found in the forest area and local communities are marginally dependent on the traditional system of health care since human evolution before the medical technology came to the present society. Now the time has come to preserve them in in-situ habitat of those plants before we think too late in our endeavor to conserve these important medicinal plants having valued raw drugs which are occurring in wild with the help of local communities.

Besides, conserving them in their natural habitat the local communities can also go with ex-situ conservation of medicinal plants and derive their livelihood and raise their living standard through safe proceeds of medical plants produce. It is apparent that medicinal plants tenders with low-cost investment and high-value income generation involving local communities in conserving medicinal plants both in in situ and ex-situ is the initiative of the Project goal.