FYI...
Stefanie Rixecker
ECOFEM Coordinator
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CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT
Medicinal Plants , Traditional Medicines and Local Communities in
Africa: Challenges and Opportunities of the next Millenium
Dates: 16-19 May, 2000; Place: Nairobi, Kenya; in parallel to the
COP-5 of the CBD
We are pleased to inform interested parties that the Environment Liaison
Centre International (ELCI) in collaboration with other organizations is
planning to organize a four-day international conference on the
promotion and development of medicinal plants and traditional medicine
in Africa on 16-19 May 2000 in Nairobi, Kenya. The conference will be
composed of a combination of presentations and workshops. The
conference will be organized in parallel to the Fifth Meeting of the
Conference of the Parties (COP -5) of the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD) to be held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 15-26 May 2000.
CONFERENCE SCOPE AND AIMS
Information relating to medicinal plants and traditional medicine can be
found in documents and databases aimed at readers in a wide range of
disciplines including botany, ecology, chemistry, medicine, veterinary
science, etc. However there are few publications reporting current work
or reviewing and analyzing recent advances in knowledge or in
highlighting local experiences, challenges, constraints and
opportunities in traditional medicine uses and in conservation and
sustainable use and management of medicinal plants. In Africa and
elsewhere, most publications related to medicinal plants and traditional
medicine available have been produced on academic research work and on
the conceptual foundations of African traditional medicine and its
relationship with other medical systems. Access to these publications
by the public, decision makers and local communities is still very
limited because of their academic writing style and their
unavailability.
At the global level the Convention on Biological Diversity, an
international treaty that has been signed by more than 160 member states
of the United Nations provides an international legal framework for the
conservation of biological diversity including access to and exchange of
genetic materials and for bio-diversity prospecting. Many different
approaches are being tried around the world to find ways to minimize,
reduce and/or stop the loss of biodiversity, especially in the earth's
biologically rich areas such as African tropical regions. Attaining the
main goal of reducing habitat loss with its accompanying loss of
biocultural diversity is still unfortunately some way off.
The World Health Organization estimated that 80% of the population of
developing countries rely on traditional medicines, mostly plant drugs
for their primary health care needs. Also, modern pharmacopoeia still
contain at least 25% drugs derived from plants and many others which are
synthetic analogues built on prototype compounds isolated from plants.
Demand for medicinal plants is increasing in both developing and
developed countries and surprisingly, the bulk of the material traded is
still from wild harvested sources on forest lands, as and only a very
small number of species are cultivated.
At the same time, the World Health Organization (WHO) has earmarked the
year 2000 as the year which all should have access to health, a laudable
goal which is still far from being achieved. Herbal medicines and
traditional healers are receiving attention from mainstream health
officials and international medical research and training institutions
as governments confront the high cost and inefficiencies of official
health programmes aimed at populations.
The increasing cost of modern drugs coupled with the decline in the
purchasing power of the African people caused by the weakening of the
African currencies and the limited national resources make it mandatory
that efforts should be intensified to produce drugs from plants in
Africa. A number of international organizations now have started to
support projects and programmes within Africa which are drawing on the
cultural acceptability and economic accessibility of safe and effective
traditional medical practices. On the other hand, in many African
countries, there are no unified and coherent programmes to promote
medicinal plants, traditional medicine and ethnopharmacology, nor to
assure that biological resources are being harvested at a sustainable
level. Several small isolated activities are being undertaken on
individual basis without any institutional support and coordination at
the national or regional levels. This situation often leads, to
duplication of efforts or inefficient use of limited available
resources.
There are still gaps in knowledge of how traditional knowledge systems
of health work, their limitations and prospects. Successful experiences
and approaches on conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants
are still rare.
With regard to research aspects pertaining to medicinal plants,
traditional medicine and local communities; a number of questions are
still unanswered: Which traditional remedies work, which have been
tested and how? How should traditional medicine knowledge, practices and
preparations be validated at the community level, using what methods and
facilities? How should traditional medicines be standardized at local
and traditional healer levels, using what methods and facilities? Under
which conditions does traditional medicine work best? Who uses it and
under which conditions? To what extent do local communities accept
traditional medicine practices? What has been done to promote mutual
understanding and professional respect between western doctors and
traditional doctors? Which aspects of traditional medicine can be
combined with western style medicine and how? Have all major medicinal
plants been identified and documented? What has been lost? What is
remaining? Are traditional knowledge systems relating to sustainable use
and conservation of medicinal plants clearly understood? Are gender
issues properly taken into consideration? How can traditional methods
be incorporated in research agenda? How should local and traditional
knowledge contribute to propagation and to sustainable use and
conservation of medicinal plants? What are African cultural practices
and beliefs that are supportive of the conservation and sustainable
utilization of medicinal plants? What effective agro-ecological methods
that enhance propagation and cultivation of specific medicinal plants?
Many African countries lag behind the rest of the world in the
development of national policies with respect to access to genetic
resources and trade in medicinal plants. As a consequence, a
considerable degree of mistrust and suspicion is bound to flourish
between producers and potential markets. If medicinal plants are to
receive a proper valuation on the national or world market, policies
need to be in place to guide such transactions. Appropriate targeted
strategies aimed at increasing awareness of policy makers and donors
about the need for sustainable use and conservation medicinal plants and
traditional medicine in Africa, can complement research efforts aimed
to achieve this objective . It is within this context that the
Conference will be organized at the same time with the COP-V of the CBD.
The conference will review current initiatives in promoting the
development of medicinal plants and traditional medicine in Africa. It
will establish a state of art by highlighting what has been done, what
is to be done, what should be reinforced and under what incentives, what
works and what does not work. Examples of policy, research,
legislation, success-stories will be highlighted to show national
efforts in promoting medicinal plants and traditional medicine in Africa
and in sustainable use and conservation.
The conference will examine how medicinal plants and traditional
medicine in Africa is far more relevant, valid and useful that had been
supposed. It will highlight experiences of many stakeholders:
traditional healers, NGOs, researchers and conservationists. This will
be a unique forum for exchange of local information on medicinal plants
and traditional medicine and their potential.
The Conference will explore medicinal plants, traditional medicine and
its organization. It will contribute to the exchange of information on
the subject by reporting both on the work of individuals, institutions
and also on the community experiences. Drawing on experiences from many
African communities, it will highlight the vital role of medicinal
plants in public health care and the urgently needed strategies and
actions to promote the sector. In addition the dissemination of current
activities and research findings will ensure that future phytomedicinal
research and extension efforts can build on previous work carried out in
Africa. Donors and international organizations involved or supporting
the sector in Africa will be invited to attend the conference. While
the conference will focus on African region participants from other
continents will be also invited.
Objectives of the Conference :
� To assess the current situation/status of the sector and to
disseminate information on the current activities, experiences and the
diverse but fragmented research initiatives and findings relating to
medicinal plants and traditional medicine in Africa .
� To identify the key challenges, experiences, opportunities and
perspectives involved in promoting medicinal plants and traditional
medicine in Africa, and the practical lessons that can be learnt from
the recent history of R&D in the sector:
� To contribute to the knowledge base of medicinal plants and
traditional medicine
� To provide interested parties with updated information as well as
project and action-oriented recommendations on a systematic and
integrated approach towards developing a medicinal plant-based
cooperation in Africa and ensuring sustainable and environmentally
friendly growth of the sub-sector
CONFERENCE THEMES
The following issues may be addressed by the conference:
1. Medicinal Plants and traditional medicine and pharmacopoeia
in Africa: significance and trends
The place and contribution of traditional medicine in primary
health care
2. The global context(Bioprospecting, IPR, CBD ,etc) and its
implication on promotion of the sector
3. Aspects of participatory research into medicinal plants and
traditional medicine in Africa with involvement of local communities:
(ethnobotanical investigations, production of drugs from African
medicinal plants, chemical, biological and pharmacological studies)
Past and current research activities that have been or are being
carried out to
solve local communities' health problems; gaps between the
finality of
current research with regard to public health concerns and local
communities
needs and priorities.
5.Sustainable use and conservation of medicinal plants in Africa :
� The contribution of forests in community health care (e.g. linkages
between
forestry and health, destruction of forest and its impacts and
consequences
to the health of people, various ways in which the health of
people is affected
through the destruction of forests, etc.)
� Propagation and domestication of medicinal plants in Africa (e.g
successful experiences at the village level), overharvesting and
controlled harvesting, resource management
� Protection of traditional knowledge and practices relating to the uses
of medicinal plants and traditional medicines (e.g. suggestions on
appropriate mechanisms, debate on intellectual property rights taking
into consideration the African context, etc.)
� Economic and policy incentives and legal tools for the conservation
and sustainable use(e.g. encouraging private sector, researchers and
local communities)
� Biodiversity prospecting, international trade and traditional resource
rights for indigenous peoples and local communities, benefit sharing and
access to medicinal genetic resources.
6.Commercialisation and economic value of medicinal plants at the
community level:
(Overview of the traded medicinal plants sector and its potential for
community development.)
� The economics and prospects of small scale derived drug industry in
Africa (status of medicinal plants production, marketing, markets and
value-added processing);
� Strategies to enhance income generation and benefit sharing from
medicinal plants and traditional medicine.
7. Financial mechanisms, information strategies and tools, regional
and international co-operation:
Funding opportunities, what tools, mechanisms and strategies are
practical and
effective to enhance information exchange, co-operation and
collaboration aimed
to develop the sector.
8.COUNTRY EXPERIENCES:
Current status of medicinal plants and traditional medicine at the
national
Level; e.g.:
example of most common medicinal plants and their uses. Who is doing
what at
the national level e.g. activities and institutional framework,
co-ordinating and
implementing agencies, support of R&D, role of NGOs and traditional
healers
associations and of public and private sector, what actions and
strategies to
promote traditional medicine and medicinal plants, efforts to integrate
traditional
medicine in official public health systems: advantages, disadvantages,
implications,
obstacles , policy options and key players. Importance of traditional
medicine in
the country.
9.Lessons learnt and new perspectives:
Importance and future of medicinal plants and traditional medicine in
Africa(future research and action needed and the policy challenges which
have to be confronted; overview of the causes of the problem identified,
and of previous approaches to dealing with it).
a) Limitations and potentials
b) Future directions
- Research priorities
- Technology transfer and capacity building
- Planning & Development
- Policy options
- Information exchange and management
- Co-operative strategies and
mechanismes
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Conference Methodology:
Presentations will last twenty minutes each, with a further 15 minutes
for discussion. They should be accessible largely in either English or
French. Working sessions will consist of paper and poster presentations
and discussion. Participants are welcome to organize special workshops
or open discussion groups on a specific topic. Please contact the
organizers if you intend to organize a session. Official languages of
the conference: English and French
ABSTRACT SUBMISSION:
To submit abstracts, to register or for inquiries, please contact:
Dr. Barbara Gemmill
- by E-mail ( < Barbara Gemmill > herren@ africaonline.co.ke )
- by Fax (254-2562175)
-by regular mail ( Environment Liaison Center International, P.O.Box
72461, Nairobi, Kenya) .
Or
Ernest Rukangira
Environment Liaison Centre International, P.O.Box 72461, Nairobi,
Kenya
email: erukangira@ iconnect.co.ke Tel. (254-2)562022/576114
Fax: 572175
Abstracts should not exceed 500 words. They can be submitted in one of
two ways: hard copy or electronic submission. They should be in
English or French.
Hard copies (or faxes) submission:
Please include the following information:
NAME : Names of the author(s)
TITLE: Title of the paper
EMAIL: Email address of the first author, if any
ADDR: Postal address of the first author
TEL: Telephone number of the first author, if any
FAX: Fax number of the first author, if any
The name of the first author will be used in all correspondence.
Electronic submission:
Electronic submission should be in plain ascii text email message giving
the following details:
NAME : Name of first author
TITLE: Title of the paper
EMAIL: E-mail address of the first author
ADDR: Postal address of the first author
TEL: Telephone number of the first author, if any
FAX: Fax number of the first author
IMPORTANT DATES:
Abstract submission deadline: 30 January 2000
Notification of Committee's decision: 20 February 2000
Authors submit camera-ready text: 20 Mars, 2000
Conference: 16-19 May 2000
PRE-REGISTRATION FORM:
Mr./Ms/Dr/Prof.:
(First name):
(Family name):
Organization:
Street: P.O. Box:
City: Country:
Phone: Fax:
(country code - area code - number)
E-mail:
PLEASE RETURN before 30 January 1999 BY FAX or EMAIL to addresses above
Payment:
(1) Mail a cheque (made out to "Environment Liaison Centre
International") in U.S. or Kenya Shillings or
(2) Mail, fax or e-mail credit card information, noting the total
amount, whether Visa or Master card, cardholder name, card number, and
expiry date, plus your signature if paying by mail or fax.
Before 30 January 30,2000:US$150 / After 30 January, 2000: US$250
The Environment Liaison Centre International (ELCI) is located in
Nairobi, Kenya, and was established in 1974 with the aim of
strengthening communication and cooperation between NGOs and local
communities, providing liaison between NGOs and the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP), helping to strengthen NGO and local
community capacities in developing countries and encouraging the
advisory role of NGOs through the organs of the United Nations. ELCI is
an international non-governmental organisation which brings together 900
NGOs in more that 100 countries.
--
Ernest Rukangira
Programme co-ordinator
NGO Working Group on indigenous knowledge and biodiversity
Medicinal Plants and Local Communities Programme
E.L.C.I.,P.o. Box 72461 ,Nairobi ( KENYA )
Fax (2542)562175 ,Tel 576114/25/.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Dr. Stefanie S. Rixecker
Division of Environmental Management & Design
Lincoln University, Canterbury
PO Box 84
Aotearoa New Zealand
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Fax: 64-03-325-3841
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