Table 2.
Major outcomes of RCMPCC's community-based programs
| Major Outcome | Levels of influence | ||||
| Policy implication | Village/Sub-district | District (MPCA) | State (RCMPCC) | National | Global |
| Documentation of traditional knowledge of medicinal plants from vaidus- both men and women Systematic documentation created opportunities for collaborative research with TSM |
Role of women vaidus recognized Involvement of vaidus/VB in village development/conservation activities |
Two local language booklets on ethno botanical information about plants and vaidus | Systematic data base on 326 medicinal plants, 465 herbal formulations, Illness-specific database on 265 plants, herbarium record of 804 species | Raw drugs formulations of 75 plants available for further scrutiny | VB, Vaidus training institutionalized in GEF programs in nine states |
| Local assessment of Rare, Endangered and Threatened (RET) species Potential of Local medicinal knowledge alongside TSM as inputs in official planning |
Local monitoring by panchayats (village councils), LMCs, SHGs. RET List maintained at two MPCA by local communities with the support of VBs/vaidus |
Training of 36 selected VB and district forest officers on RET monitoring Incorporating list in district working plans of Forest Department |
Prioritized species identified and raised in seven forest nurseries of the state Helped FD in species recovery and enrichment programs |
Unique species highlighted | Unique specie of Global importance identified at Leghapani MPCA |
| Recognition and use of vaidus Official recognition of Local knowledge experts (restricted up to sub-state level) |
Vaidus Involved in selection of appropriate seedlings in forest nurseries Vaidus and VB got 'official' recognition to practice their knowledge |
Employing vaidus as field guides/eco-tourism Honouring VB/vaidus in two workshops |
State level database of vaidus and village botanists according to their area of expertise (RCMPCC) CAMP exercises |
Display and dialogue with other national level vaidus through two national herbal expos | Local vaidus guided ITTO (Japan) research scientists as research anchors in vegetation mapping |
| Opportunities for collaborative research Collaborative Research mainly initiated at national/below level and often self-inspired/funded |
A herbarium preparation techniques learned by VB and vaidus through botanists Validation of vaidus/VB's local knowledge through sharing/exchange with botanists |
Selected VB/vaidus as trainers for other MPCA selected Study in sacred groves by RCMPCC |
Market study of 22 medicinal plants Biodiversity assessment of select MPCAs RCMPCC as a resources institution in State medicinal Plant Board |
Pilot project on standardization/cultivation processing of prioritized species in six MPCAs supported by Department of Science and Technology | |
| Transmission of folk knowledge facilitated Systematic efforts for understanding transmission are lacking at State/National/Global levels |
People Biodiversity register at one village Herbarium sheets demonstration in three schools |
11 demo gardens, 10 interpretation center highlighting contributions of VB/vaidus,40 home herbal gardens | Ministry of tribal affairs supported study on people's biodiversity register | ||
Source: self-compiled