Cultivating Medicinal Plants for human needs, biodiversity conservation and enterprise development (SAF/03/03)

Project Details & Results

This project promotes the conservation, sustainable use and cultivation of threatened forest and woodland tree species that are valued in the medicinal plant trade for their bark and are in high demand. It will do this by cultivating these tree species and targeting leaf production as an alternative medicinal resource in cases where the bark and leaf chemical constituents are similar. The participants are four locally based CBOs involved in the medicinal plant trade. Sites that afford the most optimal cultivation bio-resource conditions per species will be selected. The species will be planted as part of an agro-forestry system. The leaves will be harvested and products developed through locally appropriate processing methods and in line with medicines control and certification requirements. Indigenous knowledge will be protected and enhanced through rigorous measures. The project will be part of a larger initiative made up of similar enterprises that are linked through a joint marketing and trade initiative, ensuring significant returns at the local level. The project combines the imperatives of biodiversity conservation, traditional medicine development, enterprise development and agricultural development. The conservation of the most endangered tree species, the provision of greater access to popular scarce species and development of enterprises around these species will have a long-term impact on the interface between traditional medicine and conservation.

Notable Community Participation
The Vukuzenzele Medicinal Nursery and Garden Association members identified the following project needs at the completion of the Community Forestry Project supported by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, namely:
traditional medicine product development;
further research, develop and expand the leaf/bark substitution strategy; and
develop a course or curriculum for traditional healers to train their student traditional healers in propogation, cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants.
Thus the project idea resulted from the traditional healers own thoughts on activities that requires future attention.

Capacity - Building Component
Capacity Building of traditional healers will be developed the on-the-job training and action-based learning. Key learning areas will be in the areas of agro-forestry, harvesting, processing, packaging,branding and further training needs will be identified in the project.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
The project will contribute to identifying and developing a feasible livelihood alternative in marketing "sustainable enterprises". New Business management capacity will be developed while retaining the existing local expertise.

Gender Focus
Gender will form an integral part of this project.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
The Bushbuckridge area is a former homeland of Gazankulu and Lebowa. Land has been held in trust by the state and administered through the tribal authoritity. During the 1990's the homelands were incorporated into South Africa and was since then identified as a poverty node in the Integrated Rural Development Strategy 2000. The population group living in this area is Shangan and is one of the indigenous people of South Africa. The project aims to ensure recognition of the participants as innovators and incorporate local knowledge with regard to bio-physical aspects and cultivation. However, the knowledge of traditional healers will be protected and respected, as it will not require them to divulge information on traditional medicine and its uses.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
Awareness raising activities will be undertaken through exchange visits where participants will be able to see activities and projects strategies that have alreasy been undertaken.