Fighting poverty with herbs and medicinal plants

Scientists from all over the world have recently begun deliberations on the role of herbal, medicinal and aromatic plants in improving the livelihoods of the rural poor.  Addressing researchers attending the regional expert workshop held at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas Aleppo, Syria, Dr. Mona Bishay, director of the Near East and North Africa division of the International Fund for Agricultural Development said that several obstacles hinder the full exploitation of the potential of herbal, medicinal and aromatic plants in reducing poverty and improving the livelihoods of rural people in the region. 

“Poor local technology, inadequate business and entrepreneurial skills and awareness on quality requirements, limited knowledge on properties of HMAPs beyond traditional knowledge, and limited access to intellectual property rights restrict production and the use and marketability of the HMAPs,’’ said Bishay.  Underscoring the need to analyze and find means to address the obstacles, Bishay said the most important handicap was the inability of the collectors and growers of such plants to take advantage of potential markets, due to lack of access to resources, inadequate extension and training services, lack of improved technology and business skills, insufficient marketing information and local organizational skills that could enable them to take advantage of emerging market opportunities.  

Dr. Mahmoud Solh, director general of ICARDA, said it was regrettable that indigenous knowledge on HMAPs was not backed up with adequate use of modern technology, despite the fact that folk medicine still serves 80 percent of the rural population in the world.  “HMAP sector faces various challenges and constraints, such as over-exploitation of naturally occurring species, fragmented approaches and projects that address only limited aspects of selected HMAP value chains, lack of quality control standards of locally produced HMAPs and products, and poor distribution of benefits in value chains,” said Solh. 

“Our partners in National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems possess rich knowledge on HMAPs and this gives us a great opportunity to add valuable new crops to our joint knowledge of eco-geography and farming systems in the NENA region,” said Solh, elaborating ICARDA’s role in research on HMAPs. “Tremendous room for growth and export opportunities are available if quality products are available that can compete with other suppliers. New science and technology can be deployed to understand potential new uses for processing, transforming, and adding value to natural products – with the purpose of generating income for poor farmers.” 

Dr. Remi Kahane, executive secretary of the Global Horticulture Initiative, emphasized the need to promote HMAPs through effective marketing and product development to support small farmers. The three-day workshop focused on evolving strategic directions in finding solutions to the challenges, constraints and prospects of using herbal, medicinal and aromatic plants in improving the livelihoods of the rural poor.

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