Traditional healers appeal for land to grow medicinal plants

Traditional healers have appealed to Government to help their "beleaguered profession" by allocating them pieces of land where they will grow their medicinal plants, some of which they say are becoming extinct.

According to the traditional leaders, deforestation, population growth and industrialisation are threatening the existence of the traditional healing practice.

"Due to deforestation, some of the medicinal plants are now extinct. On the other hand, the plants that are found in urban areas are now polluted by industrial waste.

Since our business depends on herbs, we are appealing to Government to allocate us farms where we would plant the trees," said Sekuru Friday Chisanyu, president of the Zimbabwe National Practitioners' Association (ZINPA).

ZINPA registers and regulates the conduct of both faith and traditional healers.

Sekuru Chisanyu says traditional healers are now forced to travel long distances in search of herbs.

"We are forced to travel to such far-away places as Chipinge, Muzarabani and even to neighbouring countries in search of herbs.

This is an expensive exercise which sadly leads to the over-harvesting of plants since we will be trying to cut costs. Having our own land where we will plant the trees ourselves is the only solution," added Sekuru Chisanyu.

Recently, Mozambique availed 100 hectares for traditional healers to plant trees.

"Extinct species are now being traded at very high prices. Traditional healers are now required to have a proper business plan and budget since the practice now involves a lot of travelling. Once we are given the land, we will plant the herbs and this will greatly reduce costs," Sekuru Chisanyu said.

The African Union recognises the important role that traditional healers play.

As such, the AU advocates for traditional healers to be the custodians of land and its natural resources.