Aadi Aushadhi Tribal Development Programme

The aim of the project is to promote the socioeconomic development of the Vasavas and to protect their traditional knowledge of medicinal plants.

The Shoolapaneshwar forests in south Gujarat are remnants of some of the finest forests in the Gujarat. The Dediapada forests are part of the Shoolpaneshwar forests. They are home to a variety of natural resources and a diversity of flora and fauna.

The Vasavatribals who inhabit the Shoolpaneshwar forests form a prominent part of the diverse ethnic groups. They form a community of farmers who support their life by forest hunting, gathering of herbal plants, and raising cattle. They possess immense knowledge about the medicinal plants growing in that area but due to lack of awareness amongst the group there is no documentation of this knowledge by the tribals. It is orally passed by the elders to the next generation. With the changing time this knowledge is getting extinct. Deeply impressed by the fact that these tribals have both – the plants, and the knowledge about the plants, it was thought of innovative ideas to help the tribals generate income from these resources.

This idea was further developed with a joint effort of Xaviers Foundation,  JeevanTirth and Manthan Educational Programme Society India. The aim was to promote the socio-economic development of the Vasavas and to protect their traditional knowledge of medicinal plants. Several ideas were exchanged among the partner NGOs who are experts in the field of education, research, training, etc in order to support the Vasavas.

Our group has managed to participate in several exhibitions and fairs outside Dediapada.
The Aadiaushadhi group has participated in the traditional Food Festival event “Bhuli Bhulai Vanngi” held at the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Ahmadabad; at this event the group earned some income and were also awarded with a special prize for its Brahmi products.

The group has also represented the District Rural Development Agency (D.R.D.A) at fairs in Jamnagar and in Ahmadabad. It has helped the group to get publicity and many people from different parts of Gujarat have tried to contact them.

Today, thanks to the team effort, they are able to prepare a variety of products. These products help in curing many common diseases. To name a few, medicines for acidity, arthritis, diabetes, kidney stone, general sickness, jaundice, cough and cold, loose motions, etc.