Conserving Medicinal Plants in South Africa
The traditional medicine trade in South Africa is worth a whopping R2.9 billion each year, making up 5.6% of the National Health budget. With 27 million consumers and providing a livelihood for at least 133,000 people—many of whom are rural women—this trade is both vibrant and widespread. However, its sustainability is at risk. The supply of plant material, which includes around 771 species, isn’t sustainable because all the plants are harvested from the wild.