AI-enabled farm-gate quality, traceability to boost India’s medicinal plant supply chain
New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA):- Artificial intelligence (AI) and related technologies are crucial to monitor, verify, and document the quality and journey of medicinal plants right from the farm (the farm-gate) through the entire supply chain, said experts from the Ministry of Ayush.
The experts, including those from the National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB) and the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), were speaking at a two-day national seminar on “Design and Development of Tools for Quality Assessment of Medicinal Plants at Farm Gates” at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi.
The event brought national focus to India’s medicinal plant sector, assured quality, traceability, and standardisation of raw materials at the point of origin.
Prof. Dr. Mahesh Kumar Dadhich, Chief Executive Officer, NMPB, and Prof. Dr. Tanuja Nesari, Director, ITRA, emphasised the need to integrate innovation, regulation, and traditional knowledge to build global confidence in Indian medicinal plant raw materials.
The seminar convened policymakers, scientists, technologists, industry leaders, and researchers to deliberate on strengthening farm-gate quality systems as a foundation for the sustainable growth and global competitiveness of India’s Ayush and medicinal plant ecosystem.
Technical sessions examined the entire medicinal plant value chain — from sustainable cultivation and regenerative agriculture to AI-enabled quality assessment, digital traceability, and supply-chain integration.
Experts from ICAR-Directorate of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research (DMAPR), IIT Delhi, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ministry of Ayush, and Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) shared evidence-based insights and field experiences.
The discussions highlighted that India is both technically and institutionally prepared to adopt AI-based diagnostics, digital phenotyping, and integrated quality frameworks, reinforcing the credibility of Indian medicinal plant raw materials in domestic as well as international markets.
The seminar also highlighted the integration of traditional knowledge systems such as Vriksha Ayurveda with modern quality-control frameworks. It demonstrated how India’s heritage can be scientifically validated and digitised to strengthen global acceptance. Strong emphasis was placed on capacity building, with participants gaining exposure to advanced tools, standards, and evolving policy directions.
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