Challenges and Opportunities in Enhancing the Conservation and Use of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

SUMMARY Medicinal and aromatic plants represent a consistent part of the natural biodiversity endowment of many countries around the world. These species provide an important contribution to health, local economies, cultural integrity and ultimately the well-being of people, particularly the rural poor and fragile social group, e.g., the elderly, children and women. Their role has been increasingly acknowledged over the last decade which has brought about a new attitude towards these and other species, variously marginalized and neglected by research and conservation efforts. At the same time, threats to the genetic diversity and species survival have also increased due to unsustainable exploitation and loss of habitats. Progress in pharmacognosy has not been accompanied by equal advancements in knowledge of the distribution, genetic diversity, ecology and conservation of these species. Priority setting for species selection and understanding of resource management needs for these species is constrained by limited capacities and attention devoted to basic research. Current trends in support to environmental friendly agriculture and greater participation of local people in the sustainable conservation and use of natural resources are leading towards innovative approaches to enhance the use of medicinal and aromatic plants, more participatory in nature and hence more focused on local needs. The increasing number of organizations involved in medicinal and aromatic plants, the access to new tools for biodiversity prospecting, characterization and data analyses along with the change of traditional conservation systems towards more use-oriented initiatives should be seen as opportunities for revising research goals and partnership, create greater synergies at the national level and a more conducive policy environment. The future of medicinal and aromatic plants rests on today's ability to resolve the conflicts between conservation and use, and the shift towards more resource-based agriculture increasingly challenged by the globalization of economies.