Institutional Interplay in Natural Resources Governance: Toward a Sub-Sectoral Approach for Medicinal Plants Management in Bangladesh (original) (raw)
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In this paper, we analyse the value chain for medicinal plants produced by village-based marginal farmers and homestead growers whose livelihoods are significantly supported by the commercial scale production of several plant species. We also suggest an improved value chain system through economic coordination that links production with the enhancement of the producers' livelihoods. A field-based investigation was carried out in Natore district of northwest Bangladesh where a total of 160 farmers and households from eight villages, located within two unions, were engaged in the production of medicinal plant species. The research gathered explanations for the resultant improvements in livelihoods and the wider acceptance of such unconventional agricultural practices in the locality. The findings revealed that the primary and wholesale secondary markets were mostly dominated by middlemen who cause inflated prices due to lack of competition in the medicinal plants value chain. A closer linkage between the producers and processors through vertical integration in the value chain could result in a multitude of benefits to both the producers and processors of medicinal plants in terms of price, quality, lead time and overall control of the supply chain.
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Medicinal plants (MPs) are an important component of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), which are traditionally used in healthcare and source of livelihood all over the world. In an over-populated country like Bangladesh, the pressure on natural forests is immense; thus the cultivation of MPs can significantly contribute towards improving the livelihood of poor people, reducing the pressure on natural forests and enhancing biological diversity. Notwithstanding the growing recognition of its importance and economic and ecological potential, there has been little research on MPs, especially the cultivation, management and marketing aspects, in Bangladesh. Based on extensive fieldwork in a northern district of Bangladesh, this study explores various aspects of the cultivation, management and marketing of MPs. How collective efforts have brought economic and social benefits to communities was also examined in this study. It assesses the major processes and elements of management, identifies key problems and challenges and indicates ways of maximizing the potential of this important sector. The issues covered in this research include: farmers ' perceptions and experiences; existing research and policy-making processes related to the MP sector; constraining factors (such as lack of processing technology, inadequate transportation, logistics, financial and storage infrastructure, lack of institutional capacity); markets, finance and networking; land use; pattern of livelihood and value chain issue.
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The trade in medicinal plants in Kerala is characterized as oligopolistic in nature owing to the presence of only a few large industrial consumers and traders. The demand analysis of medicinal plants by the major industries has been presented under this background. Ten major medicinal plants have been identified based on the quantity of their annual consumptions. The analysis has shown a high growth rate and low price elasticity of demand for plants like Sida spp., Aegle marmelos and Woodfordia fruiticosa, which assure a steady market for them. It has been suggested that the plants Sida spp., Boerhaavia diffusa, and Aegle marmelos should be given priority in commercial cultivation in view of their scarcity values. A market driven management policy is warranted for the popularization of medicinal plants in Kerala.
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