Farmer who conserved, preserved medicinal plants gets ICAR award

A 64-year-old farmer from Manchale village in Sagar Taluk of Shivamogga district has been selected for the National Genome Saviour award this year for conserving more than 200 medicinal plants and preserving 30 varieties in his small agriculture land.

The farmer MV Prakash Rao Rao divided his land into individual plots and created the medicinal plant belt and medicinal plant nursery. He conserved Malnad medicinal plants including various turmeric varieties, medicinal tubers and creepers in his farm.

Amruth Balli, Shatavari, Shanka Pushpa, Ondelaga, Hippali, Chavya, Ganape, Agnishike, Jaali and more than 30 varieties of creepers, which have medicinal value are available on his land.

Rao is a well known medicinal plant farmer from Sagar Taluk of Shivamogga who has been actively working for the past four decades propagating a multi-tier and multi-crop agroforestry model.

Rao is one of the awardees this year by the Indian council of agriculture research ICRA. Prakash will get the Plant Genome saviour award on November 11 at Delhi.

Speaking toRao said, "I have selected to grow medicinal plants and spices in my agricultural land. Experts identified nearly 3,000 medicinal plants in the Western Ghat forest (Malnad region). Many plants are on the verge of extinction. I have tried some of them in my land. I have cultivated 30 varieties and preserved 200 varieties. As we are living in the forest, I shaped my field like a forest, it naturally grows here. Many agriculturists visited and were inspired. I thank Shivappa Nayaka Agriculture and Horticulture university for promoting this."

Speaking to ANI, Dr Ullasa MY, Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga said "Prakash is a progressive farmer. He conserved nearly 200 varieties of medicinal plants in his farm. He developed 30 endangered species which are of commercial value. He grows it by natural farming principle. Plant Genome saviour award which is initiated by the protection of plant varieties and farmer's right authority under the Union Agriculture Ministry and Farmers welfare. The authorities considered him for this year's felicitation. University is always extending support to such farmers."

( With inputs from ANI )