MEDICINAL AND WILD FOOD PLANTS AS EMERGING NEW CROP OPPORTUNITY FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN AFRICA

Plants have been used in treating human diseases and animal diseases for thousands of years. The use of plants as sources of health improving remedies and as source of nutrients is not just a custom of the distant past, as 80% of the world’s population still relies completely on new herbs and unrefined extracts for food and medicines. Domestic and foreign markets for medicinal plants are growing rapidly and provide opportunities for the development and diversification of African Agricultural enterprises. Phytomedicines and phytonutrients represent new crop opportunities for the future. Their cultivation offers the possibility of not only preserving economically important wild plants in their natural habitats, but also providing farmers with new crops. Of growing concern, is the extinction of medicinal and food plant species in the wild habitats. Given the growing demand for these botanicals and current problems in unsustainable collection methods, it is quite likely that some of these plants will be overharvested to depletion. When cultivated they will be rated speciality crops that could provide profitable growing opportunities for small farmers. Growing medicinal and wild food plants in botanical gardens is also an emerging area of eco-tourism. Many of the indigenous herbs of Africa are exported to the Western markets, where they represent fast growing market for natural products industry. More so, people are losing confidence in using orthodox clinical drugs because of their adverse side effects, and turning more and more to prevention and wellness programmes. As this trend develops, phytomedicines could become an important new alternative crop.

Keywords: phytomedicines, emerging crops, wild food plants, Botswana.