Workshop on Development & Ecological Role of Neem PDF Print E-mail
It is now widely acknowledged that the Neem Tree is an important input for integrated, people - centred development and for preserving the ecological balance. Keeping in view the fairly significant and useful Neem Research that lies unutilized, a Workshop was organised at the Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi at the initiative of the Neem Foundation, Mumbai and Ambedkar Rural Industrial Technology Mission, Lucknow.


The Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shri. Som Pal inaugurated the Workshop.

The following are the Recommendations of the Workshop:
1) In order to utilize the vast potential of the neem tree for the benefit of India and its people an integrated approach should be adopted to evolve a National Plan. Concerned Ministries should draft additions and amendments in the existing policies to create a framework for a National Plan.

2) The Planting of neem should be encouraged on wastelands, common lands, panchayat lands and barren lands. Additionally Neem Plantations should get recognition on the lines of other plantation crops like rubber, spices, tea, coffee etc.

3) Neem seed collection should be included as a part of Employment Guarantee Schemes like Jawahar Rojgar Yojana, employment Assurance Scheme, DPAP, DDP, Wasteland Development etc.

4) To promote the use of eco-friendly products in Agriculture and Horticulture, Neem - Based Products should be exempted from central excise and sales tax, atleast for a period of five years.

5) Registration of neem products need to be viewed differently vis-a-vis chemical pesticides. This is important for all the aspects including toxicity, shelf life, bio-efficacy of products and residues in plants and soil. The policies of the Government of India should pave the way for developing guidelines in the global scenario.
For eg.: Registration of Bio-Pesticides still requires long- term toxicity data on carcinogenicity and residues.

In view of the long-term use of neem by a very large percentage of Indian population over centuries, Indian Authorities should waive off these requirements.

6) Registration of neem products for domestic as well as for export market is required to be done separately by the Central Insecticide Board. It may be noted that data requirement for domestic market is quite extensive and elaborate and hence if registration is granted for domestic market the registration for export should be automatic, moreover the data requirement for export should be left to importing country.
7) In view of the highly significant positive response of neem - coated urea, sale of neem coated urea should be permitted expeditiously along with the extension of the subsidy component, on the lines similar to that available for zincated urea.

8) Sufficiently large body of data from ICAR as well as Universities exists on efficacy of neem coated urea which should from the basis for approval and higher price for neem coated urea vis-a-vis uncoated urea.

9) A census of neem trees should be carried out in the country to catalogue tree resources. Model orchards of neem should be established at selected sites to create awareness about it and to popularise its usage.

10) As neem also helps in restoring and maintaining soil fertility it should be recommended as a priority species for agroforestry.

11) Since time immemorial Indian have learnt and made use of neem in a variety of ways both for personal and community health. It is time this heritage is appreciated and in area of promotional and preventive health care our indigenous knowledge and resources like neem are made use of on an increasing scale as low cost effective ingredient in public health.

12) In view of the fact that Neem originated in India and the country has a broad genetic base, which needs recognition and protection, neem should be declared 'The National tree of India'.
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