An article on the NY Times about TM (Traditional Medicine), a Medicine Hunter and, amongst the underutilized species mentioned, Maca in Peru . Here the link
Archive for category Indigenous Knowledge & Ethnobotany
An article about saving the bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) and one about the bottle gourd saving us from a cucurbit virus!
It’s not only in the 21st century that people rediscover forgotten and underutilized species. Have a look at this National Geographic article of May 1981 and you will find that some of the mentioned species are still underutilized whether others made their way and are quite visible now.
Wild Edible Plants:
Aug 3
Promoting Dietary Diversity in Poor Communities of Lebanon
There is a new, very beautiful website on underutilized species in Lebanon. The website and its project aims at:
- Promoting the use of wild edible plants to improve dietary diversity in Lebanon as a first step
- Improve collaboration and outreach activities in the region and slow down the simplification of diets
Please go and have a look www.wildedibleplants.org
Not all of the plants listed here are underutiized but a precious source of information with regards to indigenous cultivars used in the Andean diet – here is the link
And if you want to know about the Huari Wari Empire
The cultural identity of local communities is strongly related to the use of many traditional plant species and available indigenous knowledge.
This represents an important asset for those local communities and society in general.
Culture is in danger! Do you believe this is true and in case what should we do?
Jeffrey Faus, Managing Editor of Trees for Life Journal, points out some precious resources dealing with marketing, nutrition, income generation opportunities
- Using Science to Help the Poor: Low-Budget Research Ideas. Part 3: Research Opportunities
Martin Price, Ph.D.
Several specific research topics are suggested, including plant tissue culture, making an antibiotic ointment from the Moringa tree, and use of the African Egusi melon as a milk substitute. - Old Wives’ Tales: Modern Miracles
N. K. Pandeya, D.O. Â
Turmeric has been used for centuries in India as a traditional medicine to cure infections. Studies have shown that a chemical in turmeric stops the growth of melanoma. More research is needed to find out the mode of action of turmeric’s immune-boosting, anti-cancer and antibiotic properties as a potential natural remedy. - Can Fresh Vegetable Sprouts be Produced for Human Consumption in Areas With Poor Water Quality? (A Pilot Study)
Jed W. Fahey and Katherine K. Stephenson
Water leached from growing broccoli sprouts is shown to inhibit the growth of E. coli bacteria. Sprouts (green vegetables) have long been known to be a good source of nutrition, but where water supplies are contaminated, growing them can be risky. This finding hints that some sprouts could be safer than others. - Rapid Ethnobotanical Survey of the Maya Mountains Range in Southern Belize, Central America: A Pilot Study
Todd Pesek, Marvin Cal, Victor Cal, Nick Fini, Chris Minty, Peter Dunham, Pablo Sanchez, Luis Poveda, John Arnason
A new field survey method involves indigenous traditional healers in identifying rare, disappearing, and previously unreported medicinal plants. A model is presented for sharing the benefits of such plants with a wider audience while preserving local culture. - Social Marketing: A Baseline Survey Report of District Bargarh, Orissa
B. R. Poonia Â
A survey of people’s knowledge and use of Moringa tree leaves in several communities in India serves as a baseline for a test of social marketing techniques. - Plant Foods as Sources of Pro-Vitamin A: Application of a Stable Isotope Approach to Determine Vitamin A Activity
Michael A. Grusak, Ph.D. Â
Vitamin A deficiency is a serious problem in the developing world. A method for measuring beta-carotene absorption in the body helps scientists understand the potential of plant foods to provide vitamin A.
For more information from this hands on NGO check their web site Trees for Life Journal
Thanks Jeffrey!
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