Promotion of Rural Livelihood through Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Based Cottage Industries for Upliftment of Rural Economy of Assam

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAP) based livelihood systems are often mediated by the market forces, and/ or related directly to employment/income of the poor. Proper and optimum utilization of those resources will help in employment generation and economic development of the rural poor of the region. With continued increasing demand of natural products such as Pharmaceutical, Dye, Naturopatty, Flavour and Perfumery & Cosmetic industries; cultivation of MAP species have now become a popular and economically viable commodity. But this requires semiprocessing unit and hence, micro-level/cottage industries may be a suitable option for the local level entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs. These small scale industries are mostly proposed by the local artisans, who are operating through their own convenient yardstick in homes. However, power supply and machineries are required to a limited extent. The products are made to satisfy the local demands. Such types of cottage industries are more suitable for the local entrepreneurs, rather than factory-based industrialists. These are unique in nature, with distinctive for its usage. Producers in this sector often face numerous problems while competing with the factory-based businessman. Cottage industry is not only important for under-developed countries, but its importance has been equally felt in developed economies, as well [1]. The present paper is an attempt to endow with the scenario of rural MAP based cottage industries of the state of Assam.