In association with the MP State Medicinal Plants Board; Department of AYUSH, Government of Madhya Pradesh, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) organized a two-days “National Workshop on Characterization & Taxonomy of Medicinal Plants and Associated MIS Development” on 29 February-01 March 2024 at the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) Campus, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

The workshop aimed to create the market linkages to the medicinal plants of Madhya Pradesh, with paving the way for livelihood creations in the long run—and thus creating a basis of collaborative efforts of the government, industry, research institutions, innovators and medicinal plants farmers. One of its kind activities, the Workshop proved to be highly successful with a wide-ranging participation of the stakeholders from the government, industry and research institutions.

Indar Singh Parmar, Hon’ble Minister of AYUSH, Government of Madhya Pradesh addressed the Workshop and called for a collaborative approach to realise the true potential that the state of Madhya Pradesh is offering as the hub of plants of over 300 varieties that are critically important for medicinal purposes. Shri Sanjay Kumar Mishra (IAS), Deputy Secretary, Department of Ayush & CEO MP State Medicinal Plants Board, Govt of Madhya Pradesh emphasized on the importance of Medicinal Plants in every household.

He shared the “One District, One Medicinal Plant” is the new goal with which the efforts are being made in Madhya Pradesh for supporting the farmers of medicinal plants and empowering them. Among others who addressed the Workshop were Prof Jaydip Mandal, Principal, RIE (Bhopal), NCERT; Dr K Ravichandran, Director, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal; Dr Suresh Kumar Jain, Vice Chancellor, Barkatullah University, Bhopal; Dr Manisha Shrivastava, Director, Bhopal Memorial Hospital Research (Bhopal); Manoj Modi, Co-Chair, MP State Chapter, PHDCCI; Atul K Thakur, Secretary, MP State Chapter, PHDCCI; Dr Manoj Kumar Singh, Professor, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal; Prof Chitra Singh, HoD, Extension RIE (Bhopal), NCERT; Dr Rachna Akhand Giri, faculty, Department of Pharmacy, Barkatullah University, Bhopal; Dr Sukhes Mukherjee, Additional Professor (Biochemistry); Dr Alam Khan, Professor, RSKVV, Mandsaur; Dr Suman Mishra, Botany Scientist, MFP-PARC, Bhopal; Dr Deepti Sankat, Professor, Sarojini Naidu Girls College, Bhopal.

The workshop concluded with a series of initiatives planned by the MP State Medicinal Plants Board; Department of AYUSH, Government of Madhya Pradesh and PHDCCI. The sustained future initiatives are expected to position Madhya Pradesh as the hub of medicinal plants at national and international arenas.