Africa-Press – Uganda. Ugandan herbalists and craft makers have expressed concern that environmental degradation is pushing them out of business.
“Because of deforestation and too much pressure on the environment, we are experiencing scarcity of herbs. Encroachment on protected areas where we have been getting herbs is pushing medicinal trees into extinction,” said Ephraim Tumwijukye Kashaija, a herbalist and head of department of traditional medicine at Rukararwe in Bushenyi District.
Speaking to Monitor on January 23, Tumwijukye said that there’s a general sense of fear that the ongoing human induced deforestation and encroachment on protected areas is creating a shortage of raw material for herbal medicine.
“Herbal medicine is becoming expensive because raw materials are scarce. Accessibility to these medicines is going to become a problem in the near future,” he explained.
Abby Ayebaze, a coordinator at Rukararwe Partnership Workshop for Rural Development Center noted that environmental destruction -especially in wetlands- has negatively impacted the handcrafts industry in Bushenyi.
“We no longer get raw materials. A basket that we used to sell at Shs10,000 is now at Shs30,000 because you have to move long distances to buy raw materials,” she said.
Ayebaze told this reporter that Rukararwe has set up a nursery bed for and demonstration forest for conservation and multiplication of the trees.
“We have conserved seven acres and we still have a virgin land which we want to use to extend our botanical garden and expand and multiply production because in future, we want to have a manufacturing factory for traditional medicine,” Ms she disclosed.
‘Domesticate medicinal trees’
Naming examples of highly medicinal trees that are feared to be sliding into extinction including the Zanthoxylum Gilleti (African satin wood) and Warbugia Ugandesis, Tumwijukye urged herbalists “to domesticate medicinal trees.”
“They need to have small space at home where they can conserve these plants,” he emphasized.
Emmanuel Kweyunga, the Chief Executive Officer at Keirere Green Africa Agency rebuked people who have irresponsibly depleted wetlands, piling more misery on nature.
“People are not using these resources sustainably. They just go to forests and debark trees which shortens their life span as they end up drying,” he explained.
Debarking of trees causes damage to a tree since the plant is left with low or no capacity to enable food transportation from roots through the stem to leaves.
‘Create awareness’
According to Kweyunga, embracing alternative raw material sources can help reduce pressure on natural resources and allow regeneration.
“There are other alternatives like bamboo which can be used in craft making. This will guard them against extinction. Bamboos are quick growing sources of fiber for making baskets,” he remarked on Monday.
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