This draft law, prepared by the Cabinet of Ministers, is focused on creating a legal framework for the agricultural cultivation of medicinal plants, which will reduce the burden on natural resources and expand state support for farmers.
Cultivation of Medicinal Plants
One of the main innovations is the legal establishment of the possibility to produce medicinal plants using agricultural methods.
The following is proposed:
- to allow the cultivation of medicinal plants within agricultural production;
- to include medicinal plants in the strategies for the development of the agri-food sector;
- to establish the possibility of using wild medicinal plants for their further cultivation in an agricultural environment.
It is planned to add provisions regarding selection and genetic methods to the law "On the Development of Agriculture," including the cultivation of plants such as valerian, calendula, sage, saffron, ferula, aconite, arnebia, rhodiola rosea, licorice, sea buckthorn, rosehip, barberry, thyme, and chamomile.
Amendments to the Law on Plant Life
The amendments also pertain to the law "On the Protection and Use of Plant Life."
In particular, they propose:
- to expand the rights of both individuals and legal entities to cultivate medicinal plants using an agricultural approach;
- to introduce a new type of use of plant resources — the use of wild medicinal plants for cultivation;
- to clarify the types of use of plant life;
- to align the powers of state bodies with the existing management system, including replacing mentions of the government with the Cabinet of Ministers;
- to clarify the procedure for regulating, controlling, and using plant life.
According to the initiators, the adoption of this law will provide farmers access to state support measures, including subsidies, preferential loans, and technical assistance. It will also create incentives for attracting investments in this sector. It is expected that this will lead to the diversification of agriculture, the emergence of new sources of income for the rural population, an increase in the variety of agricultural products, and the strengthening of the country's export potential.
As noted in the explanatory note, Kyrgyzstan has significant natural resources of medicinal plants; however, their uncontrolled collection leads to resource depletion and the threat of extinction for some species. Currently, medicinal plants are not considered agricultural crops, which creates legal barriers to their cultivation on agricultural lands and obtaining state support.
