J655N Botanica Ethiopia: A Living Pharmacy

The Situation

“Botanica Ethiopia: A Living Pharmacy” is a “Home Herbal Garden” (HHG) community development project in Fiche, Ethiopia. The project aims to support and promote the practice of traditional herbal medicine in Ethiopia through the establishment of a sustainable indigenous herbal medicine garden within the Fiche community. The garden will provide a blueprint for other communities across Ethiopia. Through collaboration with the University of Addis Ababa and the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation in Addis Ababa, ongoing research and development on the appropriateness and usages of the identified herbs will take place to ensure sustainability and improve best practices.

The project is based on best practice models from successful HHG programs in India, Brazil and other African countries.

The Objectives

HHG programs have proven to assist communities through:

1. Alleviating poverty by providing employment and income generation activities.
2. Educating communities regarding their indigenous medicinal herbs.
3. Preserving traditional medical practices.
4. Providing health care that may not otherwise be available and often at a cheaper cost.
5. Protecting species of flora that may be endangered, thus promoting biodiversity.
6. Providing opportunities for women to enter the workforce.