Rural communities normally depend on nearby forests for local fruits,resin, rattan, leather and plants of medicinal value. In West Kalimantan, Indonesia, demand for local medicinal plants has increased since 1999 (Pontianak Post, 2002). Medicinal plants are harvested from natural forests, upland rice fields, rubber gardens and home gardens. As natural forests gradually disappear from the landscape, managed gardens and agroforests become the major source of medicinal plants. An earlier inventory recorded 137 plant species of medicinal value (Rosnani, 1996). A recently conducted study of naturally regenerating medicinal plants under improved in Rubber Agroforestry Systems (RAS), currently promoted by ICRAF and partners, highlights their potential role in conservation of diversity of medicinal value.
Publication year
2008
Authors
Language
English
Keywords
agroforestry systems, community participation
Geographic
Indonesia
