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.
H. Iravani; H.Sh. Fami; M. Sadatzade
Abstract
According to the dependence of Iran's economy on oil revenues, medicinal and aromatic plants could play an important role in domestic economy in addition to the great influence on non-oil exports. One of the mechanisms for production of such plants is development of their processing. Given the importance ...
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According to the dependence of Iran's economy on oil revenues, medicinal and aromatic plants could play an important role in domestic economy in addition to the great influence on non-oil exports. One of the mechanisms for production of such plants is development of their processing. Given the importance of this issue, the current study was performed to investigate the role of processing in development of cultivation of aromatic plants in Kashan. In general, this was a survey research in which data were collected by questionnaires and its validity was examined by Cronbach's alpha (higher than 0.7). The statistical population was growers of aromatic plants of which 250 persons were selected randomly. Data analysis was performed by descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequency, mean, coefficient of variation, and finally Mann-Whitney and T tes. The results showed that satisfaction of income resulted from aromatic plants and economic incentives were higher in the group of processors than that of the group of flower growers. It also became clear that processors allocated a higher percentage of the total land to cultivation of aromatic plants with more satisfaction from this job and more willing to continue in future.
