The Department of Nanotechnology at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) organised a workshop on ‘Good Field Collection Practices (GFCP)’ in collaboration with the Quality Council of India (QCI) and the National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB), New Delhi, at its local campus here today.
The workshop, held to facilitate the Voluntary Certification Scheme for Medicinal Plant Produce (VCSMPP), witnessed the participation of nearly 30 traditional healers from diverse regions of Meghalaya.
The event was graced by Prof DK Nayak, Senior Professor and Vice-Chancellor in-charge as the chief guest. He commended the department for its initiative in bridging the gap between academia and traditional knowledge bearers. Nayak underscored the significance of mutual learning, emphasising that while participants glean insights from resource persons, researchers and academics benefit profoundly from the traditional knowledge shared.
Highlighting the local bounty of medicinal flora endemic to Meghalaya, Prof SR Joshi, Director of the Research and Development Cell, elucidated on the vast potential inherent in these botanical treasures. He emphasised the importance of adopting good agriculture practices (GAP) to elevate the quality standards of India’s medicinal plant produce, thereby fostering competitiveness among North East farmers.
Rajeev Kumar Sharma and Jangaiah Mangalaram were the resource persons who presented lectures on good field collection practices (GFCPs) and communicated with traditional healers from the state. The workshop was designed to imbue medicinal plant cultivators with advanced knowledge of GFCPs, a press release stated. The organisers expressed optimism regarding the potential synergies between traditional healers and researchers in exploring the myriad applications of medicinal plants in cutting-edge scientific endeavours.
