Establishment of woodlots and domestication of medicinal plants innovation in the Serengeti Mara Ecosystem | Institutional Innovations (Innovations, Training Services & Management Practices)
Description of the technology or innovation
Wood fuel consumption constitutes an important element of the human population pressure on woodlands in the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem (SME). Firewood is the most accessible form of fuel for the rural communities in SME, and its continued removal from the ecosystem may potentially cause a profound deleterious ecological effect on the biodiversity. On the other hand, medicinal plants are widely used by the local communities (particularly Masaai), and there is a need to ensure sustainable supply of medicinal extracts from the area.
The new innovation aims at establishing woodlot plantations in SME and managing them sustainably to relieve pressure on the natural woodlands. This will provide additional income through sale of firewood, building materials (timber, poles) and charcoal. Demand for a wide variety of wild medicinal plant species is increasing with growth in human needs and commercial trade.
Medicinal plants are economically important as they provide the basic raw material for pharmaceutical, perfumery, flavor, soaps and cosmetic industries. The technology also aims to promote community-based domestication, cultivation and commercialization of some important traditional medicinal plants in woodlots as an alternative income-generating activity. Woodlots can also contribute to conservation of biodiversity, bio-prospecting of wild species and provide a valuable germplasm for bio-molecules and genes for commercialization. Further, woodlots could provide opportunities in the carbon market (credit) programme. Landowners with a series of woodlots with long-term sustainable management can enrol in a carbon credit trading program.
It was tested the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystems of Kenya and Tanzania and validation process was conducted. Participatory tools and techniques through multi-stakeholder consultations were used.
The local communities living in both the wet and dry regions of the Serengeti Mara Ecosystems and those engaged in the tourism and hospitality industries are the ultimate beneficiaries of the project.
The key partners needed in the scaling up process are:
- Local communities,
- Local building industry,
- Pharmaceutical companies,
- Perfumery,
- Flavor,
- Soaps and cosmetic industries,
- Herbalists, carpenters,
- Biodiversity conservationists,
- Bio-prospectors,
- Carbon market creditors and landowners are the intended beneficiaries of this
- Innovation.
Gender considerations
The technology is gender sensitive since community conservancies are developed, managed and implemented by locals who are both male and female. The technology is gender sensitive since woodlots and domestication of medicinal plants is practiced and managed by both male and female
famers.
Contact details
MuchaiMuchane
Director, National Museums of Kenya (NMK)
P.O Box 40658-00100
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254-722 286133
Emails: mmuchaim@yahoo.com, mmuchai@museums.or.ke
Bernard Ngoru
Programme Officer, Kenya Wildlife Service
P.O Box 494 – 0161,
Nyeri, Kenya
Tel: 0721 521324
Email: bngoru@yahoo.com
Emanuel Manyasa
Professor, Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)
PO Box 57290,
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 0723 845707
Email: emanyasa@yahoo.com
Ayub Macharia
Director, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)
P.O Box 67839,
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 0722 728572
Email: amacharia@nema.go.ke
James Wakibara
Director, Tanzania National Parks
P.O Box 3134,
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: 0786-703-399
Email: jwakibara@yahoo.com
Agnes Mwakaje
Professor, University of Dar Es Salaam (UDSM)
P.O.Box 35064,
Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania
Email: amwakaje@udsm.ac.tz