Raghubir Singh Rawat is CEO of The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), which is the apex body for coordination and implementation of policies relating to medicinal plants both at the Central and State levels. Functional since December 2001, the Board has the mandate to facilitate inter-ministry, inter-state and institutional collaboration for all matters relating to medicinal plants, including drawing up policies and strategies for conservation, proper harvesting, cost-effective cultivation, R&D, processing and marketing of raw materials. The NMPB has been instrumental in setting up state medicinal plant boards (SMPBs) in 29 states of the country. It has also prioritized 32 medicinal plants that are in great demand both in domestic and international market for cultivation, conservation and development during the last two years. In an interview with Joe C Mathew of Pharmabiz.com, Rawat discusses in detail the activities, achievements and aims of the Board. Excerpts:

What has been the impact of NMPB in Indian medicinal plant sector?

For the first time, there has been an attempt for a holistic approach at national level to promote medicinal plants. We have introduced promotional as well as commercial schemes for the overall development of medicinal plants. We have been instrumental in the formation of state medicinal plant boards (SMPBs) in almost all states of the country.

An area of 10,500 acres of land has been covered under medicinal plants due to our initiatives during the last two years. We are encouraging both in-situ and ex-situ cultivation. About 250 herbal gardens in different parts of the country have come up due to the efforts of NMPB. There has been an attempt to coordinate forest departments, state governments, forest research institutes, leading NGOs at the national level. With the formation of NMPB, there is an agency to guide them now.

No farmer-oriented initiative can succeed unless one can ensure the cooperation of the agriculturists of the country. What are the measures taken up by NMPB to sensitise the people on the benefits of medicinal plantation?

Medicinal plants are mostly confined to the forest areas that are under government control. Our immediate objective was to bring together various forest departments, leading NGOs and research institutes to ensure the in-situ conservation of the medicinal plant wealth of the country. NMPB has to see that the exploitation of natural resources is brought under control. Simultaneously we need to encourage our farmers to grow more medicinal plants so that sustainable use of forest wealth can be continued while ensuring adequate supply of medicinal plants for the manufacture of ISM drugs.

There is a need to sensitise the people on the need for medicinal plant cultivation. But we have to be careful that the production is not exceeding the actual demand. We have taken a balanced approach in this regard. The Board has organized more than 50 major workshops / seminars. We made the forest departments identify conservation projects for ex-situ cultivation. Project reports given by them were approved.

We have also ensured the cooperation of apex bodies like ICAR and CSIR, universities and NGOs in setting up nurseries in various parts of the country. The farmers in and around these institutions have been the ultimate beneficiaries as the technology and the plant material were passed on to them. So in the case of medicinal plants, it's a joint effort and not a mere farmers' initiative. We are to strengthen the process in the coming years.

The workshops organized by us saw the presence of various SMPBs, and all major agencies related with medicinal plants.

What are the policy initiatives taken by the governments at the behest of NMPB?

The setting up of SMPBs and the introduction of a registration system for medicinal plant farmers by the state governments were the result of the policy initiatives taken up by NMPB. Today there are 29 SMPBs of which the ones in Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Uttaranchal, Sikkim, Himachal, Orissa and Haryana are doing excellent job.

We have also ensured smooth transportation of the commercially cultivated plant materials within the country and abroad even if they are included in the negative list. The Board is in the process of convincing various departments and ministries of the urgent need for stringent regulation over the exploitation of forest wealth.

Today every pharmaceutical company dealing with ISM is depending on the raw materials generated from the wild. Several of the precious plants are on the verge of extinction due to the over exploitation as well as unscientific procurement methods. We would like to see that the plant material from the wild is regulated strictly. Only then we will be able to compete with China or other developing countries that have well progressed in this area. We should try to source most of our requirements from commercial plantations, which will give us better quality of raw material. Its efficacy will be more; the shelf life of the medicine would also be more. NMPB would ensure that adequate technology is made available to the farmers.

There are complaints from various quarters on procedural complexities attached with the sanctioning of projects by NMPB. Do you feel a simplified procedure can attract more farmers and thereby bring more area under medicinal plant cultivation?

The response to our advertisements calling for project proposals is overwhelming. During the current year we must have received about 5000 proposals through all the state boards. This shows that there are enough people who are willing to go through the procedures in order to avail the facility. We have not laid down any complicated procedures. The person who intends to grow the plants should have a MoU signed with his buyer. This is one of the pre-conditions for processing the project proposal. This condition is intended to ensure that the farmer, who cultivates the medicinal plant, is having an assured buyer.
We also ensures the involvement of a public sector bank in the project. There is a minimum stipulation of 10% loan from any of the banks. This is done for a surety.

We have given a priority list of 32 medicinal plants. But we approve projects involving other plants also if there is market for the product and if the applicant can produce the MoU. Initially the minimum land requirement was 5 acres. Since there are several small-scale farmers, we have stopped insisting upon the acreage, but instead are accepting projects that cost minimum 30 lakhs. This is again done to ensure that the farmers are going for high-value medicinal plant cultivation. NMPB is giving 30% of the amount to the farmer as subsidy. Every SMPB has a technical committee to appraise the project. Once they forward the project proposals we finalise it within a period of three to four months. We also make sure that the applicant has some knowledge about medicinal plant cultivation.

We don't intend to dilute the conditions, as we cannot compromise on the quality of the produce. Further, NMPB has limited staff strength and cannot handle more applications than what it receives today.

What are the measures taken by NMPB to sentitise the banks on the importance of funding medicinal plant cultivation?

We have succeeded in roping in NABARD for this job. They have already organized 10 camps for banks. Every seminar saw the participation of financial institutions, leading ayurvedic companies, organizations like Chemexcil, Ayurvedic Drugs Manufacturers Association, etc. This helps NABARD to convince the financial institutions of the potential of medicinal plants. NABARD has issued letters to all nationalized banks endorsing the importance of medicinal plant sector and has also recommended that loans be sanctioned for cultivation purpose at a maximum interest rate of 6.75 %.

Are you undertaking any measures to encourage the export of medicinal plants / plant derived drugs?

We have just begun. If India needs to play a major role in herbal drug exports, there has to be internationally accepted systems in place. The medicinal plants need to be cultivated in the proper soil, harvested in the proper manner, packed and transported in ideal conditions and thereby the final product should possess all qualities required for a world-class product. Only then we will be able to think of emerging as a market leader in medicinal plant exports.

As of now, we are not in a position even to assess the actual domestic requirement. Let us first make proper assessment of the sustainable availability of the plant material from the wild. Rest should be cultivated in a scientific manner. Only then we will get a clear picture of the exact requirement for domestic use.

All ISM companies should take a principled stand that they will use only genuine raw materials sourced in a sustainable way. Today they are more conscious about the prices than that of the quality. A shift in focus is essential. It will also boost our export prospects. Most of the exports today are the raw materials. They are not processed, value added. This should change. We need to have more drug testing labs. I have been asking all key institutions to integrate their capabilities. My appeal to associations like Ayurvedic Drugs Manufacturers' Association (ADMA) would be to see that their members are using only quality raw materials on properly harvesting basis, sustainable basis.