ICIMOD launches 1.68 million dollar project for herbs cultivation
Nepalbiznews.com, 7-May-07
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) with support from the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), The Netherlands is implementing a four-year, US dollar 1.68 million ‘Medicinal Plants and Herbs: Developing Sustainable Supply Chain and Enhancing Rural Livelihoods in the Eastern Himalayas’ project in three countries, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, with India providing technical expertise.
ICIMOD’s Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Programme in Asia (MAPPA) is the project’s implementing agency, with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s Intergovernmental Sub-Group on Tropical Fruits providing a supervisory role, states the press release issued by ICIMOD.
“The project’s overall objective is to conserve natural resources, reduce poverty, and improve livelihoods for mountain communities of the Himalayan region through the sustainable development and utilisation of high-value, low-volume medicinal and aromatic plants”, adds release.
A recently concluded three-day inception workshop in April launched the project with implementing partners in the three countries. Participants included representatives from nodal agencies (focal point organisations for the project in each country), research and academic institutes, NGOs, and the private sector. The project will take consideration of each country’s priorities and special characteristics.
About 20,000 tons of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAP) worth US dollar 18-20 million are traded every year in Nepal alone, and about 90 percent of the plants from Nepal are exported to India in raw form.
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