GS3The Hindu · Current Affairs
Himachal farmers pioneer sustainable cultivation of endangered herb
Sustainable cultivation of Kutki in Himachal Pradesh replaces destructive wild uprooting and supports conservation of an endangered medicinal herb.
SP
Samachar Pathshala Desk
Published 24 Jul 2026 · 1 min
Key takeaways
- Farmers in Himachal Pradesh are using a non-destructive method that keeps the mother plant intact and reduces pressure on wild stocks.
- Researchers developed a cultivation method based on stolons, or side stems, to replace wild uprooting of Kutki.
- The cultivation initiative has expanded to nearly 180 farmers in Mandi district.
What happened
Farmers in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district are cultivating Kutki, a medicinal herb listed as endangered, through a harvesting method that leaves the mother plant intact. Researchers developed the technique to replace destructive wild uprooting with sustainable collection of the plant’s stolons, or side stems.
Why the development matters
The UPSC angle
GS3Essay
Kutki cultivation as a model of conservation-linked livelihoods
UPSC may use Kutki to test sustainable harvesting, biodiversity conservation, and the tension between livelihood generation and protection of threatened plant species in Himalayan ecology.
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