<p>The Northwestern Himalayas, a significant source of medicinal plants in India, are facing depletion due to overharvesting, posing threats to biodiversity and concerns about their authenticity and quality. The cultivation of medicinal plants in the region is being recommended to meet increasing demand and combat resource depletion, providing income and creating employment opportunities for the local population. However, some challenges remain, including a lack of systematic records on cultivation land and farmers, leading to the sale of wild-harvested plants as cultivated ones. Additionally, limited connectivity between growers and buyers results in an uncertain market, further hindering sustainable cultivation. In this context, we conducted a unique survey of farmer fields in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand to gather information on medicinal plant cultivation in the North-western Himalayas. Based on this survey, we have developed a comprehensive repository called “HimMedCrop”, a Microsoft .NET-designed database that serves as a pioneering initiative for documenting medicinal crops and farmer information. This database features details such as cultivated plant names, locations (latitude, longitude, and elevation), geo-tagged photographs, the cultivated area of individual crops, and farmer details (e.g., names and contact information). Additionally, it provides spatial distribution maps and a repository of spectral reflectance signatures of medicinal crops, making it a unique resource. Thus, the HimMedCrop will be a crucial database for connecting growers and consumers, increasing awareness, and promoting sustainable medicinal plant growing in the region.</p>

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HimMedCrop—A Unique Digital Geo-tagged Repository of Medicinal Plants under Cultivation in the Indian Northwestern Himalayas

  • Kishor Chandra Kandpal,
  • Meenakshi,
  • Shambhavi,
  • Shubham Anchal,
  • Anirudh Verma,
  • G. Sai Venkat,
  • Amit Kumar

摘要

The Northwestern Himalayas, a significant source of medicinal plants in India, are facing depletion due to overharvesting, posing threats to biodiversity and concerns about their authenticity and quality. The cultivation of medicinal plants in the region is being recommended to meet increasing demand and combat resource depletion, providing income and creating employment opportunities for the local population. However, some challenges remain, including a lack of systematic records on cultivation land and farmers, leading to the sale of wild-harvested plants as cultivated ones. Additionally, limited connectivity between growers and buyers results in an uncertain market, further hindering sustainable cultivation. In this context, we conducted a unique survey of farmer fields in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand to gather information on medicinal plant cultivation in the North-western Himalayas. Based on this survey, we have developed a comprehensive repository called “HimMedCrop”, a Microsoft .NET-designed database that serves as a pioneering initiative for documenting medicinal crops and farmer information. This database features details such as cultivated plant names, locations (latitude, longitude, and elevation), geo-tagged photographs, the cultivated area of individual crops, and farmer details (e.g., names and contact information). Additionally, it provides spatial distribution maps and a repository of spectral reflectance signatures of medicinal crops, making it a unique resource. Thus, the HimMedCrop will be a crucial database for connecting growers and consumers, increasing awareness, and promoting sustainable medicinal plant growing in the region.