By michael - September, 12th 2014

Formalizing trade in herbal medicinal products has the potential to increase the demand for on-farm grown raw material and raise the level of cultivation of medicinal tree species in smallholder farms. A study carried out by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in Kenya shows that trade in herbal medicinal products is rising in the urban areas and formalization in terms of better hygienic packaging and labeling of the products is likely to increase cultivation of these tree species. Traditional medicine is practiced in in many rural areas in the developing world. The World Health Organization estimates that about 80% of Africans rely on traditional medicine to meet their health needs and this could increase because some also rely on herbal medicine. The study published in the scientific journal, Forests Trees and Livelihoods, says that In Kenya, the majority of traditional medicines are sold as wild plant parts, but in urban areas, demand for traditional medicines is rising and this is leading to increased formalization of the market, with traditional medicines now found in powders, liquids and creams.

The World Health Organization estimates that about 80% of Africans rely on traditional medicine, a great proportion of which is herbal, to meet their health needs and this could increase because of the rising acceptability of natural therapies.

Now, an interesting study carried out by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in Kenya has shown how an understanding and recognition of that market  could not only mean better health, but a better life for the farmers that produce the raw materials of herbal formulas.

The study published in the scientific journal, Forests Trees and Livelihoods, says that in Kenya, the majority of traditional medicines are sold as wild plant parts. But in urban areas, demand for traditional medicines is rising and this is leading to increased formalisation of the market, with traditional medicines now incorporated in powders, liquids and creams.

Jonathan Muriuki, lead author of the study and research scientist at ICRAF, believes …

“We found scope for enabling policies that would encourage the supply of medicinal species from farms, such as tax rebates or more stringent measures to control volumes harvested from the wild,” explains Muriuki. “Such measures would encourage greater cultivation”. The authors identified areas for further research, including propagation techniques that can produce trees with high chemical concentrations at early maturity and economic analysis into the profitability of planting medicinal species under various management regimes to help farmers make decisions about planting them as alternative crops.

Please Read this Article at NyrNaturalNews.com

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