Liberia: Nimba Farmers Get Advanced Knowledge of Medicinal Plants

Farmers in Nimba County have received specialized training in the cultivation and harvesting of medicinal plants, which hold significant value on the global market.

The training, conducted by the Botanical Products Association of Liberia (BPAL),  equipped farmers with relevant knowledge and skills to cultivate, harvest,  process, and market medicinal plants for livelihood. 

Nimba, known for its rich biodiversity and lush landscapes, is home to a diverse range of indigenous plants with powerful medicinal properties that have the potential to yield substantial economic gains for farmers.

Fredrick Gonkartee, the head of the Association, noted that the training was necessitated by the fact that foreign buyers were taking advantage of Liberian farmers’ lack of knowledge of processing and marketing medicinal plants.

“The buyers only want to buy, but don't care about helping the farmers to know lots of things so, as a result, the farmers go about cutting down the trees every year, something that is making these tree products becoming extinct.

“The buyers bought these medicinal plants cheaply from harvesters in Liberia and shipped them through other countries and made more money, attracting investors to where the products were shipped from,” Gonkartee said. 

Grains of Paradise, Griffonia, Xylopia, Vocanga, and Bitter kola were among the plants chosen for the training. Walnut and African Black Peppers were also featured in the training curriculum. These medicinal plant products are among the most sought after and their demand is always high. 

They have the potential of boosting the local economy while playing a vital role in healthcare and wellness. The rich chemical diversity found in these plants holds tremendous potential for the development of traditional herbal medicines and supplements. 

“You know, buyers will come here and buy these forest products cheap and take them abroad, add value, and bring them back and make more money from us.

“If we do proper packaging for our products, like the Xylopia, bitter kola, the African Black Pepper, and even the honey in clean bottles and seal it well, with a label, it will add value and it will certainly hit the market with a good price,” Gonkartee said.

Gonkartee added that the training aligns with the government's broader plan to develop the sector and reduce the country’s dependency on imports. 

Meanwhile, the participants of the training program expressed enthusiasm about the newfound knowledge and eagerness to apply it in their farming practices. Many farmers highlighted the potential financial benefits of cultivating and adding value to medicinal plants.

The potential success of the training program, they claimed, could serve as a model for other regions in Liberia. The training, organized by the Botanical Products  Association of Liberia, was supported by the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) of the Food Agriculture Organization.