The Informal Trade of Medicinal Plants by Rastafari Bush Doctors in the Western Cape of South Africa

The Informal Trade of Medicinal Plants by Rastafari Bush Doctors in the Western Cape of South Africa

This research investigates the trade of medicinal plants by Rastafari bush doctors in the biologically diverse Western Cape region. Inventories of the plant collections of 52 bush doctors reveal 38.6 tons of 135 ethnospecies were traded with a market value of $733,000 (ZAR 5 million) in 2010. Although a small part of the total trade of medicinal plants in South Africa, the characteristics of the Rastafari trade are unique in many respects. Men dominate this trade, there is homogeneity of plant species among vendors, and low species richness in comparison to the area’s high floral diversity indicates a cultural sharing of plants and medical knowledge. Diversity indices and species accumulation curves verified adequate sampling efforts and reveal that the range of medicinal species from the Western Cape may not have not been fully exploited, with up to 35 species involved in the trade yet to be “discovered.” The 27 ethnospecies in high demand that are targeted as conservation priorities include six plants new to the trade, ten unsustainably harvested species, six endemic fynbos plants, two plants with rare phylogenies, and three identified in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List Status. Bush doctors play a crucial role in transmitting herbal healing traditions and influence the future of this traditional plant knowledge and the sustainability of their diverse ecosystem. Western Cape medicinal plant trafficking by Rastafari should be monitored based upon the developing nature of this trade, the growing popularity of the group, and their willingness to engage in gardening, where community–based conservation strategies may be successful.

Die Informele bedryf in medisinale plantesoos bedryf deur die Rastafariese bossiedokters in die Wes-Kaap, Suid Afrika Suid Afrikaanse Weskaap

Hierdie navorsing ondersoek die handel van medisinale plante deur die Rastafariese bossiedokters in die biologies diverse Wes-Kaap streek. ‘n Opname van die plant versamelings van 52 bossiedokters, dui daarop dat daar 38,6 ton van 135 ethnospesies met ‘n markwaarde van $733,000 (R5 miljoen) in 2010 verkoop is. Alhoewel die Rastafariese mark ‘n klein deel van die mark vir medisinale plante in Suid Afrika verteenwoordig, is die eienskappe daarvan in verskeie opsigte uniek. Mans domineer die mark. daar bestaan homogeniteit in die plantspesies tussen verkopers en lae spesiesrykheid in vergelyking met die area se hoë diversiteit. Die dui op ‘n kulturele uitruil van plant- en medisinale kennis. Die diversiteitsindekse en spesies-opeenhopingskurwes bevestig voldoende versamelingspogings en dui daarop dat die verskeidenheid van medisinale plante in die Wes-Kaap nie ten volle benut word nie, met tot 35 plante wat in die mark betrokke is wat nog ‘ontdek’ moet word. Die 27 ethnospesies wat in hoë aanvraag is en as bewaringsprioriteit geteiken word sluit plante in wat nuut tot die onderneming is: tien spesies wat onvolhoubaar geoes word, ses endemiese fynbos plante, twee plante wat phylogeneties skaars is en drie wat in die Internasionale Unie vir die Bewaring van die Natuur (IUCN) se Rooi Lys Status genoem word. Die handel van WesKaap se medisinale plante deur Rastafariers behoort gemonitor te word op grond van die ontwikkellende aard van die mark. Die toenemende gewildheid van die groep en hulle bereidwilligheid om by tuin bou betrokke te word in areas waar gemeenskapsgebaseerde bewarings tegnieke suksesvol kan wees.