Reuters | By: Andrew Mambondiyani | November 27, 2017:
Henry Fusirayi Nzarayebani, an elder in Zimunya, a village in eastern Zimbabwe, walks slowly toward plants growing at the edge of a narrow dirt foot path.
He plucks a few leaves from a shrub nearly hidden amid a thicket of invasive Lantana camara plants, then rubs the leaves between his hands and sniffs the scent.
“These leaves are used to treat stomach aches,” Nzarayebani says with a smile. “You either boil the leaves, then drink the water, or you can chew the leaves raw and swallow the juice. These leaves are good for treating any kind of stomach upset.”
But such medicinal plants are growing rarer in Zimbabwe these days. Overharvesting can be a problem, as can competition from other plants. But one of the most serious problems appears to be the country’s lengthening droughts, associated with climate change.
To read full article – please click here.
