Two years ago, the commerce department of Al-Ameen College, Edathala, launched a project named Kurumthotti for the well- being of 50-odd families belonging to the tribal community of Ullada.
The aim was to supplement the livelihood of the community, which mainly survived on the collection of medicinal plants from the forests and selling them to Ayurveda practitioners. The project covered the families mainly from Kalamassery, Kanjoor, Malayattoor, Sreemoolanagaram, and Vazhakkulam.
“However, they were often taken for a ride by the buyers who undervalued their stuff. The project facilitated link-up with Ayurveda companies and modern distribution technologies, thus rescuing them from unfair practices,” said M.B. Sasidharan, who retired as the college principal earlier this year. At present, they do business worth over ₹40,000 thanks to the tie-up facilitated under the project with 11 Ayurveda companies.
Still, there were some gaps in the distribution as some medicinal plants were not easily available. In order to solve this, cultivation of such plants was launched on Tuesday in 1 acre at Kanjoor that will directly benefit 10 local Ullada families.
The project is being implemented jointly by the Kanjoor Service Cooperative Bank and the commerce department of the Al-Ameen College, Edathala, as part of the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan that aims at transformational change in rural development by leveraging knowledge institutions. “Medicinal plant species such as datura metel, pumbago auriculata, heart-leaved tinospora, and aloe vera were not easily available. These plants will be cultivated under the project so that the clients would not have to go elsewhere,” said Mr. Sasidharan, who is now the president of the Kanjoor Cooperative Society.
The project was inaugurated jointly by Geetha A.X., assistant registrar, cooperative society, Aluva, and Suni Kurian, Principal, Al-Ameen College.
