Introduction

---

One of the major difficulties of assessing the importance of medicinal and aromatic plants and developing a strategy for their conservation and sustainable use is the lack of hard facts about which species are used, what is their detailed distribution, how they are collected or harvested, which species are in cultivation and where, and what are the quantities involved in collection, consumption, and trade. Trade statistics are unreliable as is the identity of the material traded under such names as oregano, covering plants belonging to more than one genus and several species.

There has been renewed interest in recent years in phytotherapy as well as an increasing awareness for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for local people by local people. The project is seen as a means to generate income and to sustainably utilize and conserve biodiversity by numerous Tunisian stakeholders that are concerned with medicinal and herbal plants who agree there is a large commercial potential not yet exploited.

Particular attention will be given to underutilized species from hundreds that could be considered for study:

· Allium roseum var. odoratissimum (Desf.) Coss. It is an endemic to North Africa, of high economic value, a source of income for the resource-poor people, and is threatened with extinction.

· Acacia raddiana is one of the few trees that grow in arid zones. Gum from the tree is dissolved in water and used to treat ocular affections, jaundice and pulmonary diseases. Dried powdered bark is used as a disinfectant for healing wounds. Seeds, entire or powdered, are taken as a treatment for diarrhea. Soaked flowers are used to treat toothaches. Fruits are used against several affections: dermatitis, ocular infections and tonsillitis (angina). Leaves are used externally to treat bronchitis.

· Punica granatum L. is cultivated on about 7,000 ha. It is used for human consumption as a fresh fruit, jam, jellies or juices; as medicinal plant used against ulcers and diarrhea. Potential use includes extraction of essential oils from seeds.

· Cymbopogon schoenanthus (L.) Spreng. is widely used as a medicinal plant: (1) brewed as a tea it serves as a diuretic; (2) emmenagogue (French: aids menstruation), (3) astringent (checks bleeding by contraction of tissues), (4) carminative (relieves flatulence); (5) sudorific (induces sweating), (6) anti-rheumatic; (7) cataplasme (French: compress) for wounds of camels; (8) tea from flowers serves as a febrifuge (reduces fever).

· Other target species include Artemisia campestris, Periploca laevigata, Matricaria chamomilla, Rosemarinus officinalis, Capparis spinosa, Ruta chalenpensis, and Thymus hirtus.

Project Objectives

The overall objective of the project is to support the conservation, management, and sustainable utilization of medicinal and herbal plants in Tunisia while ensuring effective in situ protection of threatened habitats and ecosystems. The project’s specific objectives are to:

1. Prepare a national database on indigenous medicinal and herbal plants, starting with southern Tunisia, with a view to assess their usage, status, and ecosystems;

2. Conserve, manage, and sustainably use, both in situ and ex situ, medicinal, herbal and aromatic plants in arid and semi-arid areas;

3. Institutionally strengthen collaborating agencies, i.e. scientific research institutes, faculties of pharmacy, extension services, universities, NGOs, etc. to add value to medicinal herbal and aromatic plants through processing, chemical analysis and marketing;

4. Improve public awareness of the importance of medicinal plants and build on traditional knowledge and cultural heritage.

Activities to be undertaken:

· Collect and conserve local species

· Identify and establish in situ conservation sites

· Characterize the biology and agronomy of selected species

· Conduct chemical analysis for selected species

· Survey cultural and economic values of herbal, medicinal and aromatic plants

· Develop a CD ROM with information on available germplasm, habitat and distribution, use, published reports, etc.

· Promote involvement of NGO and private sector

· Enhance regional and international networking

· Conduct field days and awareness workshops

Expected outcomes:

(a) A comprehensive diversity collected and conserved; endangered species identified; niches of biodiversity identified for in-situ conservation; a herbarium established; a database established; genetic variability assessed; promising genotypes with chemical and medicinal properties identified.

(b) Degree of cultivation, marketing and processing assessed; constraints to the sustainable development of the sector identified; the cultural role of medicinal and herbal plants assessed; recommendations for research, policy and management made.

(c) A functional mechanism established for coordination and exchange of information within and among countries and creation of a safety duplication of the germplasm at ICARDA with germplasm gathered from Tunisia as well as from Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, and from other arid and semi-arid areas.

(d) Improved techniques for commercial production developed

Information on project proposer:

The Institute for Arid Lands (IRA) at Médenine was created in 1976. Its main objectives include conducting research for the development of the agricultural sector, preserving and enhancing sustainable use of natural resources, and fight against desertification. IRA has recently established a national genebank and launched a germplasm research program. Particular attention is given to the collection, conservation and economic development of multipurpose plant species in the arid regions of Tunisia.

Executing Agency

IRA will be the executing agency of the proposed project and will oversee project implementation. It will coordinate with the Ministry of Environment, as the National Focal Point for studies on biodiversity, and the Ministry of Agriculture, who are responsible for extension and new crops development.

Baseline Scenario

At present, there are very few activities in Tunisia that specifically focus on the conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants. Without the start of this project and subsequent up scaling to a development project, IRA would continue some basic research on germplasm and ex-situ conservation, but its budget would not permit it to expand the scope of its activities in sustainable use of medicinal plants. In-situ conservation of medicinal and herbal plants would not be pursued in any community settings of the Matmata Mountains. Ongoing NGO projects will work with the communities to develop better marketing of botanicals, but will not specifically address the issue of conservation of medicinal plants or develop a framwork for chemical characterization and value added processing. MOE will continue to implement its mandate to manage the nature reserves and protected areas; however, it has no independent resources to carry out the much-needed baseline surveys, market assessments, socioeconomic surveys etc. on medicinal, herbal and aromatic plants. The baseline scenario will therefore result in limited conservation of medicinal plants and strengthening of national capacity.