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A group of green-fingered friends is swapping plants to sow the seeds for a greener tomorrow.
The ‘Exchange Plant for Free’ (EPF) project was inspired by a Facebook group founded by Biswajit Roy from India, which features more than 57,000 environmentalists and gardening enthusiasts.
“From time to time, they would meet up to exchange plants and seeds from their gardens, for free, with a purpose of saving the greenery as well as preserving, restoring and regenerating it,” said Dr Anamica Bhattacharya, a science teacher from Umm Al Hassam who has launched the concept in the kingdom.
“We also wanted to join the green revolution. So a small group of plant lovers met at Diraz Garden to trade plants and seedlings that we grew ourselves, all in a bid to boost the natural beauty of this island and restore the nature and environment around us as much as we can.”
Around 15 people, both Bahrainis and Indians, were involved in the first exchange programme. They include Syed Hassan Saeed, Nadia Al Zeera, Primos Ben Yesudas, Saji SV, Salah Mattar and youngsters Ali Mohammed Mahare and Anamica’s daughter Shreyasmi. They swapped medicinal plants, fruit and vegetable seedlings, seasonal flowering plants and more such as silk cotton, neem, moringa, banana, java palm, bleeding-heart vine and pumpkin.
“By the end of event we had collected so many new plants as well as information about how to grow and preserve them,” added Dr Anamica, a self-taught artist. “It was such an overwhelming response from all the members and we are planning to organise more such meetings every month to encourage eco-conscious living.”
Dr Anamica also aims to build medicinal and herbal gardens in schools and universities to enhance ethnobotanical studies and research. She has conducted a series of workshops, demonstrations and talks over the year to motivate people during the pandemic.
Syed, a member of the Bahrain Garden Club, is hoping the initiative would attract more people in the days to come.
“We have already listed a lot of plants that are rarely found in Bahrain. They are expensive here, but are available aplenty in India. We are co-ordinating with plant lovers and hope to get some of them during the next meet,” Syed said. “This way we can build a greener and beautiful tomorrow that is sustainable and safe to all.”
For details, follow
@anamica_b on Instagram or join the Facebook group EPF.
