Abstract
Unlike general agreement on the negative role of poverty alleviation with nature conservation, most modern agreements clearly connect biodiversity and poverty alleviation positively. Besides use in health care systems, harvesting medicinal plants and selling it for livelihood is an important part of most of the poor communities of Pakistan. But the commercial and socio-economic importance of medicinal plants has led the region to over exploitation resulting in depletion of plant resources. A number of research studies have been conducted on the subject in different areas of Pakistan but most of the studies have focused Swat; as the area is rich with medicinally important plants. The number of medicinal plants varies from 55-345 species in Swat but only 52 of these are commonly used and sold. These plants are locally used for the treatments of various ailments i.e. for gastro intestinal problems, arthritis, as anti- helmentic, laxative, for the cure of skin diseases, aching, scabies, eczema and for sore throat and fever. There are almost 2000 medicinally important plant species in Pakistan but unfortunately, the world exports volume of medicinal plants in 2002 was 8.3 million US$ for Pakistan as compared to 248.6 for Far East, 150.3 for China and 45.8 for India. The medicinal plants resources of Pakistan are also facing numerous issues resulting in depletion of the plants population. The main conservation issues faced by medicinal plants in Swat are overharvesting, deforestation, soil degradation, overgrazing, loss during collection and storage, unmonitored trade, lack of clear resource tenure and custodianships, little understanding of sustainable management parameters and knowledge of market requirement. Steps should be taken to ensure wise use of this potential resource for socio-economic development of people of Swat.
SAIMA NASIR, JAMILA AHMED, MUDASSIR ASRAR. (2014) MEDICINAL PLANTS: A PROMISING RESOURCE FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN THE MILIEU OF SWAT, fuuast Journal of Biology, Volume 4, Issue 2.
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