Simpson Muyambi
Rukungiri farmers were urged to embrace planting medicinal trees to formalize trade in herbal medicinal markets.
Formalizing trade in herbal medicinal products has the potential to increase the demand for on-farm growth of raw materials and raise the level of cultivation of medicinal tree species on farms.
According to Ntunguraa Gideon the Chairperson Rukungiri Tree Growers and Timber Traders Association said that most farmers sell timber and fruits from trees but do not sell medicinal tree products because they do not have access to markets.
He said that farmers should be in a position to produce medicinal herbs in the quality and quantity necessary to be competitive on the global market and this calls farmers to engage themselves in planting herbal trees, especially prunus Africana and pine trees among others.
He added that the Rukungiri forest department’s nurseries will also be distributing seedlings of different herbal tree species for planting in September in the Rukungiri district as the Green Jobs company has already got market for raw materials from those trees.
Most farmers do not engage themselves in growing medicinal herbs because they don’t understand the global herb market.
The Rukungiri district forestry officer Auther Twinonujuni said that at least 30% of trees grown by farmers should be indigenous or herbal trees.
He therefore urged farmers to embrace the idea of growing herbal trees alongside other trees as a way to diversify their farms increase profitability expand agricultural production in Uganda.
