Esezah Kakudidi

Gains to species diversity in organically farmed fields are not propagated at the farm level

Organic farming is promoted to reduce environmental impacts of agriculture, but surprisingly little is known about its effects at the farm level, the primary unit of decision making. Here we report the effects of organic farming on species diversity at the field, farm and regional levels by sampling plants, earthworms, spiders and bees in 1470 fields of 205 randomly selected organic and nonorganic farms in twelve European and African regions. Species richness is, on average, 10.5% higher in organic than nonorganic production fields, with highest gains in intensive arable fields (around +45%). Gains to species richness are partly caused by higher organism abundance and are common in plants and bees but intermittent in earthworms and spiders. Average gains are marginal +4.6% at the farm and +3.1% at the regional level, even in intensive arable regions. Additional, targeted measures are therefore needed to fulfil the commitment of organic farming to benefit farmland biodiversity.

Ethnobotanical study of indigenous knowledge on medicinal and nutritious plants used to manage opportunistic infections associated with HIV/AIDS in western Uganda

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Traditional medicine plays an important role in the daily lives of the people of Uganda to treat a wide range of health problems. Our study presents results of an ethnobotanical inventory conducted to identify and document medicinal and nutritional plants used in the management of opportunistic infections associated with human immunodeficiency virus / acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), the plant parts used, preparation and administration methods of herbal remedies. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed semi-structured interviews with 79 respondents (women 78%, men 22%), who included specialists in medicinal plants (such as traditional birth attendants and herbalists) and non specialists with general knowledge of plant use. Respondents answered a semi-structured questionnaire regarding their knowledge of plants and general treatment practices including management of HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections. The reported plants were collected and identified. Data were analyzed using factor informant consensus and fidelity level to determine homogeneity of informants׳ knowledge on medicinal and nutritional plants suitable for different ailment categories and the most preferred plant species used to treat each ailment category in the study areas. RESULTS The study revealed 148 plant species belonging to 54 families, most of which were herbs (50.7%). Leaves (61.6%) were the most frequently used parts in remedy preparations which were mainly administered orally (72%). The majority of plants (62%) were harvested from wild habitats. The most important species according to fidelity values are Hibiscus sabdariffa L. for anaemia, Mangifera indica L. for cough, Zehneria scabra (L. F.) Sond. for skin infections, Rhus natalensis Bernh.ex.Krauss for diarrhoea and Tarenna pavettoides (Harv.) Sim for appetite boosting. The factor informant consensus highlighted the agreement in the use of plants and showed that the respiratory infections category had the greatest agreement (0.60). Family Asteraceae accounted for 15% of the total species recorded. Sixty plant species (40%) of the plants provide nutritional support. CONCLUSION The study revealed that folk medicine is still widely practised. Fidelity level values indicate that these plants are the most preferred species for particular ailments. The high consensus value (0.6) indicated that there was high agreement in the use of plants for respiratory ailments among others. These preferred plant species could be prioritized for conservation and subjected to chemical screening to ascertain their pharmacological activities.

Medicinal plants used in malaria treatment by Prometra herbalists in Uganda

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The aim of the survey was to document medicinal plants used in malaria treatment by Prometra (Promocion de la medicina tradicional amazonica) Traditional Medical Practitioners (TMPs) of Uganda and for search of new antiplasmodial herbal medicines (HMs) for further phytochemical analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, semi structured guided open and close ended questionnaires were used. Focus group discussions were conducted and key informants were chosen within the TMPs who helped in further discussions of how the herbal remedies where collected, prepared and administered. RESULTS A sample size of 51 respondents was randomly selected among the TMPs with the help of their leader. 86 species distributed over 81 genera and 39 families were reportedly being used as herbal remedies in malaria treatment. The TMPs use symptoms like high temperature, shivering, among others in malaria diagnosis an indication that they understand malaria. They emphasized the use of leaves and bark in treatment because they can regenerate and therefore ensure sustainable use of plants rather than the use of roots which would be destructive. These TMPS treat and also advise their patients on preventive measures against malaria attacks like sleeping under mosquito nets, clearing bushes near homesteads, among others which is an indication that they help in the prevention and mitigation of malaria incidences and prevalence in the areas where they live. The Informant Consensus Factor (FIC) value of 0.8 demonstrated that the TMPs of Prometra-Uganda tend to agree with each other in terms of the plant species they use in malaria treatment an indication of quality control in as far as administration of the herbal remedies. Vernonia amygdalina Delile, Bidens pilosa L., Justicia betonica L. were highly cited as being used in malaria treatment with frequencies of mention of 38, 28 and 25, respectively. CONCLUSION TMPs of Prometra-Uganda understand and treat malaria using the available plant diversity from their huge forest and the herbal gardens within Buyija forest. The healers are very keen at plant conservation which is a good practice. Species like Justica betonica may be investigated further for antiplasmodial assays to justify its efficacy.

Strategies for empowering the local people to participate in forest restoration

Within various parts of the tropics and temperate regions, there are increasingly more efforts towards reforestation or restoration. Interventions in the tropics however, have not adequately addressed the needs of local people compelling them to degrade forests. We conducted a study in and around Mabira Forest Reserve in Uganda with the aim of assessing locally proposed restoration techniques and conditions for empowering local people to raise their willingness to participate in forest restoration practices. We specifically set out to; (i) identify proposed techniques to restore the degraded forests, and (ii) determine the pre-conditions for supporting local people’s participation in restoration activities. Data were collected using individual semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and participatory forest surveys. The findings show that the local people mainly engaged in practices that address their needs concurrently. The most reported practices include: planting trees on farm, enrichment tree planting in the forest, control of soil erosion, and control of invasive alien species. The main pre-conditions for their participation in forest restoration is assurance for more access to forest resources. The efficiency of local people in restoration will be enhanced by strengthening their capacity for collaborative forest management, raising their awareness on restoration, building their capacity, as well as continuous monitoring by forest managers.

Wild edible plant species utilized by a subsistence farming community in Obalanga sub-county, Amuria district, Uganda.

BackgroundFarming communities have continuous interactions with their environment. Subsistence farmers are particularly vulnerable to the vagaries of weather. These are pre-requisites for increased wild edible plant consumption. This study mainly focused on indigenous knowledge regarding identity and use of wild edible plant species by the subsistence farmers of Obalanga.MethodsA multistage sampling technique was used to identify Agonga parish. Systematic random sampling was used to locate 64 respondents stratified among children, adult females and males. After obtaining informed consent and assent, data was collected through semi-structured interviews using a checklist of open ended questions, focus group discussions and guided field visits. The free listing technique was employed to obtain data on plant identity and usage.ResultsFifty one (51) species in forty three (43) genera spread in thirty two (32) families were identified. Age and gender had significant effects on respondents’ wild edible plant species knowledge. The majority of edible wild plant species were herbs (47.1%) while grasses (3.9%) were the least. Fruits (51.0%) were the major parts consumed while tubers and roots constituted only 2.0% each. Eating uncooked as snacks (43.1%) was the favoured mode of consumption compared to roasting (2.0%). Preservation was mainly by solar drying. Wild edible plants traded within and without Obalanga community constituted only 15.7%. Almost all the edible plant species (94.1%) do not have any specific bye-laws for their conservation. Only Mangifera indica, Tamarindus indica and Vittaleria paradoxa representing 5.9% of the species are protected by bye-laws.ConclusionDisproportionate distribution of edible wild plant indigenous knowledge was noted in Obalanga with the lowest among the children. The marketed plant species in Obalanga can offer an opportunity for household livelihood diversification through value addition and trade under the umbrella of organic products. This will increase household incomes thereby contributing towards MDG 1 on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. It is thus vital to document indigenous knowledge so that it is not lost as plant species disappear due to environmental degradation.

History and conservation of wild and cultivated plant diversity in Uganda： forest species and banana varieties as case studies

The history of wild and cultivated plant diversity in Uganda is reviewed, taking forest species and bananas as examples. Palynological research into past human influences on forests is reassessed. The evidence suggests that crops were first introduced into the country at about 1000 BCE, farming communities practicing slash and burn agriculture started to significantly influence the floristic composition of forests during the 1st millennium BCE and there was a major episode of forest reduction at about 1000 CE related to socio-economic change. Bananas were probably introduced in the early centuries CE. The colonial era from 1894 saw the introduction of new concepts of land ownership and the establishment of forest reserves and agricultural stations. Forests and banana diversity are currently under threat, Uganda having a very high rate of deforestation and endemic banana varieties proving susceptible to introduced pests and diseases. It is suggested that, under these circumstances, conservationists take an opportunistic approach to field engagement, making use of favourable local conditions as they arise. Partnerships should be sought with elements of society concerned with sustainable use, provision of ecosystem services and cultural survival to widen the social base of plant conservation. International organisations involved in conservation of plant genetic resources and wild plant species should collaborate with one another to develop the conceptual basis of plant conservation, to make it more relevant to countries like Uganda.

Medicinal Plants Used in the Management of Noncommunicable Diseases in Uganda

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are recent and growing health problem in Uganda. The NCDs epidemic is burdening the healthcare systems, which is already under pressure from the high prevalence of communicable diseases. Hypertension is the most common NCD in Uganda; more females than males suffer from NCDs. High blood pressure and heart disease equally affect 5.3 % of the female population, while they affect 2.4 % and 2.6 % males, respectively. Cancers of the prostate and cervix are ranked number one in men and women, respectively. Traditional herbal medicine remains the most utilized form of healthcare. With the emergence of various NCDs, the services of traditional medical practitioners (TMPs) are set to rise. We collated 42 medicinal plants from literature used in the treatment of NCDs, of which 20 (47.6 %) are used in the management of hypertension, an indicator of its prevalence. Seven priority species were also identified for various NCDs by TMPs. The Uganda government realizing the importance of traditional medicine in primary healthcare established the Natural Chemotherapeutic Research Institute to undertake research on medicinal plants used by TMPs with the aim of justifying the therapeutic claims. Research on medicinal plants is still faced with the challenge of funding and collaboration between institutions to harness synergies towards the gradual integration into modern healthcare systems. The Ministry of Health needs to invest in training professional health providers and TMPs and public sensitization using targeted messages on prevention and management of NCDs, as was done for the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Uganda.

Has the Evolution Process of Forestry Policies in Uganda Promoted Deforestation

SUMMARY The dynamics in livelihood needs of people at the fringes of tropical forests have increased the stakes and management challenges of biodiversity worldwide. Since the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the importance of biodiversity has been emphasized in several international agreements. However, the incentives to implement such agreements in poor countries are lacking. The present study characterised the determinants of deforestation, and forest management practices within Mabira Forest Reserve (MFR) in central Uganda. This was done within the context of the evolution of the policy and legal frameworks of Uganda. Literature on MFR as well as the policy and legal framework on forests and related resources was reviewed. The results show that evolution of the forest policy was characterised by limited input from key stakeholders. Moreover, there has been political interference and limited sharing of benefits amid failure to harmonize the forestry policy with relevant policies of related sectors. Consequently, deforestation has continued. To address this anomaly, we encourage the involvement of all key stakeholders including local people in designing management guidelines and sharing benefits from forests as an incentive for participation to promote sustainable forest growth. This is crucial for the success of forest restoration programmes in the tropics.