How Agnes' success inspired farmers in Africa to cultivate rare medicinal herbs

Agnes can be seen in her farm

Ms. Agnes Mulimi is a 35-year old mother of four children, living in rural Kenya. She had been practicing farming for 10 years before A Pragya intervention persuaded her to cultivate medicinal plants. In 2013, when Ms. Mulimi received one and half times more money from the cultivation of Ocimum (basil) and Mondia Whitiei (gondolosia) in one acre of land, as compared to that from cultivation of traditional produce, she decided to completely switch over to the cultivation of medicinal plants. Her success is no accident.

In rural Kenya, a majority of the population is dependent on the traditional systems of medicine and locals regularly consult the ‘daktari wa mitishamba’ or traditional healers. This belief in the power of medicinal plants has endured even with the increased access to western medicine. In the streets of Nairobi, the daktaris have set up shops right alongside the doctors who practice ‘western medicine’, vying with them for their patients.

Contrary to popular belief, the traditional medicines are not cheaper than western medicine, and many rare and valuable medicinal plants are foraged from the wild. In the Kakamega rainforest, which is one of the most densely populated rural regions in the world, people from the villages regularly venture into the forest, collecting firewood and other non-timber forest produce, including medicinal plants.

Following the success of Ms. Mulimi, many other farmers in the region have also switched to cultivation of popular herbal species. Their efforts are not only helping them to improve the quality of family’s lives, but also to reduce the impact on rainforests in the region. The farmers can now better feed, clothe, and educate their children, with enough money left over to invest in livestock. For Ms. Mulimi, it is a drastic change from the situation when she struggled to pay for her children’s school fee. “I plan to rent a piece of land to increase the area under cultivation. But more importantly, the children are happy because they can afford to wear shoes to school,” says Ms. Mulimi.