Traditional controls of harvesting and conserving medicinal plants in Keiyo South

Abstract

This study investigated the traditional measures of harvesting and conservation of medicinal plants in Keiyo South Sub-County in Kenya. Garret Hardin’s Tragedy of the Commons theory guided the study. Primary data was collected from 171 respondents comprising 120 household heads, 33 traditional herbalists, 15 herb vendors, and 3 Kenya Forest Service staff using a semi-structured interview schedule, observations and photograph. Secondary data was collected from books, journals and theses after which all data were analyzed qualitatively. Descriptive statistics were used to highlight some characteristics of the respondents. The study found that traditional measures of harvesting and conservation of medicinal plants include restricted gathering by mature people and herbalists guided by social controls and taboos. The study recommends that the community and government should protect traditional sacred sites and establish a research institute to support sustainable harvesting and conservation of medicinal plants.