Medicinal Plant Cultivation
Paschim Medinipur has fertile lands as well as fallow lands. The fertile lands mostly have alluvial
soil. The fallow lands are of laterite soil. Paddy, potatoes, and other alluvial soil crops are grown
in some parts without much impediment. Naturally, the people living on these lands have the
required skill set for agricultural practices. Contrarily, the presence of vast stretches of fallow
land remains the cause of poverty for many people.
Alternative Farming
It is easy to discard any land as fallow. The people who are living on these lands do not find any
opportunity for cultivation. Because these fields are unable to produce the so-called crops
which are known to them. As IMAP has been working on this critical issue for the last 15 years,
it could think of several alternatives to fetch produces from these unproductive lands.
In this trail of new crops, IMAP introduced the concept of a medicinal plant cultivation
programme in Garhbeta II Block of Paschim Medinipur District to alleviate this poverty. 35
different species of medicinal plants were introduced on a piece of fallow land as part of a pilot
project involving 500 women from the marginal community.