Zimbabwe’s Parliament has called for the protection of Mumvee trees (Sausage trees) and other herbal plants across the country, amid concerns that they may be overexploited due to their perceived medicinal properties, reported NewsDay.
This call comes in response to a surge in the exploitation of indigenous trees for medicinal use.
While not scientifically validated, the popularity of Mumvee powder derived from its elongated fruits and bark is rising, with products being sold in street markets and vegetable stalls to treat various ailments.
During a parliamentary session last week, Kwekwe Proportional Representation legislator Perseverance Zhou said:
I rise to address a matter of national importance, the urgent need to protect Zimbabwe’s indigenous flora, which includes trees, shrubs, flowers et cetera, with medicinal properties. These trees include sausage trees (mumvee) and baobab trees (miuyu).
Our country is blessed with a rich biodiversity that has been used for centuries by our ancestors to treat various ailments.
Recent reports, however, indicate that the demand for these herbal resources is increasing rapidly, both domestically and internationally.
This presents an economic opportunity that also causes a significant threat to the sustainability of our natural heritage.
If left unchecked, the indiscriminate harvesting and exploitation of these herbal resources could lead to the extinction and loss of valuable medicinal knowledge.
One concerning trend is the growing interest in Zimbabwe’s herbal resources by Western countries. There is a real risk that these nations may establish mass production facilities which could result in the depletion of our natural resources.
Zhou proposed that the government craft laws to designate specific areas as herbal conservation zones, where the harvesting of these trees would be strictly prohibited or regulated.
The Forestry Commission announced last week that it is launching an investigation into reports of Mumvee, scientifically known as Kigelia Africana, being harvested in rural areas of Zimbabwe for medicinal purposes.
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