Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods. File Pictures BS News Agency.
Sanchita Chatterjee, BS News Agency/PIB, New Delhi: "Main Content"
World Wildlife Day is observed every year on 3 March. It commemorates the adoption of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The theme for 2026 is “Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods”. The importance of plant resources in health and livelihoods is highlighted.
India is one of the 17 countries with the highest biodiversity. There are about 15,000 medicinal plant species. Out of these, 8,000 species are used in Indian medicine. India is established as one of the important hubs of medicinal and aromatic plants.
The National Board for Medicinal Plants under the Ministry of AYUSH has taken initiatives for conservation in natural habitats, cultivation outside the habitats and enhancement of resources.
According to the study “Medicinal Plants in India: Demand and Supply Assessment”, the annual demand in the country was about 5,12,000 metric tonnes in 2014-15. 1,178 species have been recorded in trade. Out of these, 242 species have a trade volume of more than 100 metric tonnes per year. The economic importance of the sector has been evident.
Introduction
World Wildlife Day is observed every year on 3 March. The day has been declared by the United Nations. The aim is to raise awareness about the importance of wildlife and plants. The day commemorates the adoption of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The commitment to ensure that international trade does not endanger the survival of species is reaffirmed.
Wildlife is not only a natural beauty. It is also linked to food security, healthcare, livelihoods, climate resilience and sustainable development. Biodiversity is being affected by the pressures of habitat destruction, over-exploitation, illegal trade and climate change. The main message of this day is to call for the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources for present and future generations.
India's Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Diversity
The year 2026 is of special significance for India. India is one of the 17 countries with the highest biodiversity globally. India has about 7% of the global biodiversity. The country has 15 agro-climatic zones. Out of 45,000 plant species, 15,000 are medicinal plants. About 8,000 species are used in Indian medicine and folk medicine. About 70% of the medicinal and aromatic plants are found in the tropical forests of the Western and Eastern Ghats, the Himalayas and the Aravalli ranges.
Conservation measures
A multi-layered approach has been adopted for the conservation of medicinal and aromatic plants.