SHILLONG, April 23: A workshop on ‘Good Field Collection Practices (GFCP)’ was organised by the Department of Nanotechnology at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) in collaboration with the Quality Council of India (QCI) and the National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB), New Delhi, at NEHU, Shillong, on Tuesday.
The workshop aimed to support the Voluntary Certification Scheme for Medicinal Plant Produce (VCSMPP) and saw the participation of around 30 traditional healers from various regions of Meghalaya.
The event, attended by Prof DK Nayak, Senior Professor and Vice-Chancellor In-charge as the chief guest, received praise for bridging academia with traditional knowledge.
Prof Nayak highlighted the importance of mutual learning, noting the exchange between participants and resource persons. Prof SR Joshi, Director of the Research and Development Cell, emphasized Meghalaya’s rich medicinal flora and the need for adopting Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) to enhance India’s medicinal plant quality standards.
Prof Md. Iftekhar Hussain, Dean of the School of Technology, commended the Department of Nanotechnology for its active role in research and community outreach, such as the workshop. Resource persons Dr Rajeev Kumar Sharma and Jangaiah Mangalaram shared insights on GFCP with traditional healers, aiming to bolster India’s traditional medicinal systems.
Dr LR Singh, Head of the Department of Nanotechnology at NEHU, expressed optimism about the potential of collaborative efforts in advancing scientific research and empowering local communities.
