I visited Kerala in Southern India during 2005 and witnessed for myself the wonderful plants that grow abundantly in “God’s own Country”.This experience was the seed for Global Gardening. Could rising temperatures in the future mean that a few of these tropical and exotic delights might survive in my UK garden?

Kerala deserves its reputation. With its charming network of backwaters and rivers, it receives 6 months of rainfall, 2.5 times higher than the national average. As a result, it is an extremely green state with 28.90% of the total land area covered in forests. This is greater than the national coverage of 19.50%. -http://www.prokerala.com/kerala/maps/kerala-forest-map.htm

There are a staggering 4600 flowering plants growing in Kerala and around 900 of these possess medicinal values.http://www.keralaforest.org/html/flora/medplants.htm. Over 150 species of indiginous or naturalised plants are used in Ayurvedic medicine . This unique system of healthcare has been practised in India for centuries but today its benefits are used across the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayurveda

Approximately 540 Keralan plant species occur in delicate eco-systems that are now being challenged by climate change as well as economic “progress” - India’s economy is growing at around 9% a year. Local tribal communities harvest around some of these lesser-known wild plants for their own medicinal purposes but it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to maintain their way of life and earn a basic living.

Here is a story about a social enterprise project aiming to address the impact of economic progress and climate change on the rural population of this area:

A protected forest in the state of Karnataka in Southern India close to the border with Kerala is where a tribe live a very simple life connected to the earth and the jungle. For centuries, these people have combined an understanding of the forest and a relationship with its plants and animals.They are particularly known for harvesting the honey of the wild bees and are therefore also called the Honey Shepherds.

Sadly, this knowledge does not appear to be valued much by the rapidly developing Indian economy. There is little income to be made from the few crops grown by the Honey Shepherds, which means they often resort to poaching and illegal logging of hardwood (teak). With the Indian government reinforcing their policies of protecting forests, anyone caught in these activities is shot on sight and, as a result, some locals have been killed. Consequently these simple people remain dependent on subsistance farming and support from the government for their basic needs such as food and medicine.

A recent visit by a yoga teacher from the UK could be the turning point. Kirsten Germann has been studying yoga and stonecarving in Mysore, Karnataka for years and developed deep friendships with some of the local people. As a result she ended up being the first western person visiting the honey shepherds of Gundre accompanied by her indian friends, Ravi Shankar and Surya Prakash, a stone-carver from Mysore. The Tribal people asked her if there was anything that she might be able to do to help them and through many magical connections the idea for Shakti Essential Oils was born.

The aim of the project is to finance organic/biodynamic training by a local expert for the honeyshepherds, specialising in the cultivation of aromatic herbs (such as lemon grass and palma rosa) to be manufactured into wonderfully pure essential oils.

In order to produce these high quality biodynamic essential oils, the Shakti Essential Oil Company plan to purchase a unique extraction unit, specifically built for this purpose. The unit that has been offered costs around £6000 providing they can purchase it within the next two months - otherwise the cost will rise in line with the dollar exchange rates and expected increases in the price of metals.

The Shakti Essential Oil Company has been established through the collaboration of Kirsten’s inspirational vision plus invaluable local contacts and knowledge provided by stonecarver,Surya Prakash combined with the biodynamic expertise of a local expert called Sridhar Babu, who works with the Earth Trust.

Their aims are to protect the local forest and further enhance the specialist plant skills of the Honey Shepherds, enabling them to keep their culture and lifestyle intact, yet become stonger and more independent within the rapidly developing nation.

If you would like to get involved with this worthwhile project or make a donation to help the Honey Shepherds of Southern India, please contact Kirsten Germann at padmalaya@gmx.net