Economic and social position of medicinal and aromatic plants
Aliakbar Barati; Ali Asadi; Hengameh Sardar Shahraki; Parya Siahbidi
Abstract
Background and objectives: Due to the scorching desert environment and frequent severe droughts, residents of the rural districts of Zabol County have suffered significant losses to their livelihoods in recent years. As a result, identifying climate-resilient income sources and strategies to improve ...
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Background and objectives: Due to the scorching desert environment and frequent severe droughts, residents of the rural districts of Zabol County have suffered significant losses to their livelihoods in recent years. As a result, identifying climate-resilient income sources and strategies to improve the county's economic prospects has become crucial. The cultivation of medicinal plants, with their extensive value chain, income-generating potential, and resilience to environmental challenges, stands out as a highly promising livelihood option. It can play a pivotal role in creating employment opportunities and reducing poverty in rural areas. This study was conducted to assess the feasibility of cultivating selected medicinal plants in the rural areas of Zabol County.Methodology: The statistical population consisted of 25 specialists, including researchers from the Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center, staff from the Agricultural Jihad Organization in Zabol County, and medicinal plant experts from the private sector. Participants were selected purposefully. Data were collected through interviews and a researcher-designed questionnaire. The data analysis was conducted using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Medicinal plants were selected based on a literature review and expert interviews. Ten species were identified as having the most extensive history of cultivation in the study area: Cuminum cyminum, Nigella sativa, Plantago psyllium, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Trachyspermum ammi, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Linum usitatissimum, Matricaria chamomilla, Cyamopsis tetragonoloba, and Rosa damascena.Results: The average age of the experts surveyed was approximately 55 years, with a standard deviation of 10.9 years. Most of the participants held bachelor's or master's degrees in fields related to agriculture. Their average work experience in the agricultural sector was about 15 years, with a standard deviation of 8.6 years. All respondents had prior experience in medicinal plant activities, including production, research, or trade. According to the experts, the most important criteria for selecting medicinal plants for cultivation were: economic factors, technical and climatic features, infrastructural and technological aspects, policy and management, and knowledge and attitudes. Based on these criteria, Rosa damascena (3.32), Hibiscus sabdariffa (3.12), and Cuminum cyminum (3.05) were identified as the top three priority species for cultivation in Zabol County. The findings further revealed that among the various sub-criteria affecting the development of medicinal plant cultivation, the most critical were technical aspects and climatic conditions, infrastructure, and appropriate technology. Additionally, the sub-criteria of compatibility with the regional climate, marketability, and ease of harvesting, processing, and storage were identified as the top three factors requiring special attention.Conclusion: Climate change and its adverse effects, combined with limited economic opportunities in rural areas, pose significant challenges to the livelihoods of villagers. One strategy to address these issues is to identify income sources that are compatible with both the climatic conditions and the economic potential of rural communities. Expanding the cultivation of medicinal plants, given their high income-generating potential and notable adaptability to environmental stresses, can be an effective approach to creating employment opportunities, increasing income, reducing poverty, and preventing rural migration. However, not all medicinal plants are equally suitable for cultivation in every region. It is therefore essential to evaluate these species based on a range of characteristics before recommending them for cultivation, to ensure the success and long-term sustainability of their development.
Economic and social position of medicinal and aromatic plants
Nezam Khaledian; Hossein Shabanali Fami; Aliakbar Barati; Samira Afshari
Abstract
Background and Objective: In recent years, the collection of medicinal plants from rangelands in the Saral region of Divandarreh County, Kurdistan Province, has become an increasingly important livelihood strategy for rural communities. Although this activity contributes to household ...
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Background and Objective: In recent years, the collection of medicinal plants from rangelands in the Saral region of Divandarreh County, Kurdistan Province, has become an increasingly important livelihood strategy for rural communities. Although this activity contributes to household income, there remains a limited and often unclear understanding of its actual impact on the livelihoods of beneficiary households, as well as the challenges they encounter. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to assess the extent of the activity’s impact on rural livelihoods and to identify the key challenges associated with medicinal plant collection in the region, to propose appropriate strategies for sustainable development in this sector.Methodology: This research employed a survey-based approach, with the statistical population comprising all rural households in the Saral region of Divandarreh County, totaling 2,519 households. Using Cochran's formula, a sample of 206 household heads was selected through stratified random sampling with proportional allocation. Data was collected from these beneficiaries using structured questionnaires. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed through expert review, while its reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Coefficients exceeding the 0.70 threshold indicated that the measurement tools used for the study variables were sufficiently reliable. Descriptive data analysis was conducted using mean values and the coefficient of variation.Results: Descriptive statistical findings showed that 70% of the beneficiaries had an average age of 35 years, and their average experience in harvesting medicinal plants from rangelands was 4.65 years. The most common sales method was cash transactions with intermediaries, accounting for 43.5% of the total sales. In terms of harvest frequency, the top three medicinal plants collected were Ferula spp. (Kama), Thymus spp. (Avishan), and Mentha pulegium (Pooneh), while Achillea millefolium (Gole Maraneh), Hypericum perforatum (Alaf Chy) and Salvia officinalis (Maryam Gloe) were among the least harvested. Regarding income-generating potential (measured in thousand rials per liter or kilogram of product), Descurainia Sophia (1,097.60), Thymus spp. (794.89), and Mentha pulegium (506.99) had the highest average values, whereas Cichorium intybus (240.93), Achillea millefolium (214.19), and Salvia officinalis (117.53) had the lowest. The prioritization of challenges related to medicinal plant collection in the Saral region identified the following as the most pressing issues: (1) economic and livelihood pressures leading to overharvesting, (2) the risk of extinction of certain medicinal plant species due to excessive harvesting, and (3) reliance on local community motivation to prevent harvesting by non-local individuals. Moreover, beneficiaries' prioritization of strategies to enhance rural livelihoods, through sustainable medicinal plant collection, highlighted three key approaches: (1) developing grassroots organizations such as cooperatives and NGOs; (2) expanding public education on the importance of conserving natural resources as national and communal assets during collection; and (3) delegating oversight of medicinal plant collection to local communities to enable structured and limited resource management.Conclusion: Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the springtime collection of medicinal plants in the Saral region has a limited positive impact on household livelihoods. The absence of proper training and awareness regarding sustainable harvesting methods, combined with the issue of overharvesting, has resulted in negative consequences that outweigh the potential benefits. The analysis of livelihood improvement strategies revealed that the most critical approaches include the development of cooperatives and NGOs, the expansion of public education focused on protecting natural resources, and the delegation of oversight for medicinal plant collection to local communities. These strategies are essential for enhancing the sustainability of medicinal plant harvesting and improving rural livelihoods in the region.
