Kudumbashree units in Kerala promote medicinal plant cultivation

• Kudumbashree [or the State Poverty Eradication Mission of Kerala Government], which is a community organisation of Neighbourhood Group of women, launched medicinal plant cultivation in 2018.
• It is managed by Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) or groups of women farmers with four to 10 members.
• Among the varieties grown are thulasi (holy basil), kattarvazha, kacholam (aromatic ginger), turmeric, kasturi manjal (wild turmeric), naikarunam (cowitch or cowage), kurumthotti (bala), brahmi (water hyssop), adalodakam (Malabar nut), mukkootti (little tree plant), koduveli (Indian leadwort), shathavari (climbing asparagus or wild asparagus) and ramacham.

Kudumshree:

• Kudumbashree ( which means prosperity of the family) is one of the largest women-empowering projects in the country and is a model for implementing various poverty implementing programmes at the local self government level in Kerala.
• The programme has 37 lakh members and covers more than 50% of the households in Kerala.
• The three pillars of this programme are micro credit, entrepreneurship and empowerment of women.
• Kudumbashree perceives poverty not just as the deprivation of money, but also as the deprivation of basic rights.
• Kudumbashree was conceived as a joint programme of the Government of Kerala and NABARD and is implemented through Community Development Societies (CDSs) of poor women, serving as the community wing of Local Governments.
• Kudumbashree is formally registered as the ""State Poverty Eradication Mission"" (SPEM), a society registered under the Travancore Kochi Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Act 1955.
• It has a governing body chaired by the State Minister of LSG.
• There is a state mission with a field officer in each district.
• This official structure supports and facilitates the activities of the community network across the state.
• A major problem in Kerala is the problem of Waste Management and Kudumbashree is actively involved in solid waste management in cities in Kerala.
• Kudumbashree is also involved in a variety of initiatives such as holistic health, rehabilitation of destitute families, special schools etc.