1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Decision Support for Mainstreaming and Scaling out Sustainable Land Management (GEF-FAO / DS-SLM)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

FAO Bangladesh (FAO Bangladesh) - Bangladesh

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

IUCN-The World Conservation Union (IUCN-The World Conservation Union) - Bangladesh

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

No

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

The indigenous community in Bolipara village of the Thanchi upazlia (sub-district) of the Bandarban district are reducing or preventing land degradation through the cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants. This practice provides the raw material needed, by local traditional healers, to produce herbal medicines for the indigenous and tribal peoples.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) are well-renowned for its unique physiography that harbors rich biodiversity, and for its distinct and rich culture, traditional, and customary practices because of the predominance of many indigenous communities. It is also one of the few remaining areas in Bangladesh where traditional environmental knowledge (TEK) plays an important part in the daily life and customary practices of indigenous communities. Medicinal plants, of course, are a key component of the local health care system. However, the production and use of traditional medicines (mostly herbal in nature) substantively declined as medicinal plants have become rarer – this is due to rapid changes in land use patterns driven by population growth and economic trends. The risk that interest in and local knowledge of medicinal plant use will reduce or even disappear over time as has occurred in other parts of the world, changing the very nature of indigenous life. Land degradation is another major ecological concern for this area. Shifting cultivation with curtailed fallow periods, deforestation, and unplanned cultivation along the hill slopes has caused land degradation in Bolipara union. It is located in Thanchi upazila (longitude 21º78´, latitude 92º42´) under Bandarban hill district of Bangladesh. The total population of the union is more than 10,000. The ethnic communities living in the area include Bowm, Chakma, Khumi, Marma, Mru, Tripura and Chack. Most of the family depends on agriculture and horticulture for their livelihood. BNKS (Bolipara Nari Kalyan Somity) is an NGO who work here to promote the socio-economic and cultural status of the marginalized and socially excluded peoples. ‘Bolipara Kobiraj Kalyan Somiti’ is another local institution of traditional herbal healers.
In 2008, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) took the initiative to reduce and prevent land degradation in Bolipara through the cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants by indigenous communities. While forest conversion reduces the diversity and availability of medicinal plants, reforestation with medicinal plants can promote and accelerate forest succession on a previously deforested site. As a part of the IUCN project, medicinal tree species like Tamarindus indica, Terminalia arjuna, Terminalia bellerica, Terminalia chebula, Azadirachta indica, Bombax ceiba, Meusa ferrea, Phyllanthus emblica, Pongamia pinnata, and Saraca asoca were planted on the degraded slopes with a 2m x 2m spacing. In between the tree lines, shrub and herb species like Ocimum tenuiflorum, Adiantum caudatum, Ageratum conyzoides, Bryophyllum pinnatum, and Centella asiatica were planted with same spacing in a crisscross manner. The establishment of medicinal plants requires various inputs and extension services from medicinal plant nurseries to demonstration sites and the engagement of communities and community groups (please see more details under the download link: https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/9589).
In this instance, the planting and conservation of medicinal plants was conducted under the supervision of Buddhist monks (from local temples) and ‘Bolipara Kobiraj Kalyan Somiti’(BNKS). The local community were involved with Nursery preparation (seed collection, bed preparation, poly-bag preparation, manuring, irrigation, etc.), preparation of plantation site (jungle cutting, debris collection, preparation of inspection paths, etc.), plantation activities (pit preparation, tying up of plants with sticks for support, application of fertilizers, compost and biocide, etc.) and maintenance activities (vacancy filing, weeding, fertilizer application, etc.). After the medicinal plantation was established in 2008, the degraded land started to regain its health since trees and plants positively influenced the understory microclimate, the structural complexity of vegetation, and the development of humus layer. The indigenous medicinal plants and trees, because of their deep roots, also reduced topsoil erosion, and prevented gully erosion formation. Currently, the site is observed to have good canopy cover, and functions as a good habitat for a number of bird species and monkeys. The local herbal healers have the access to the plantation site and are able to obtain the raw materials needed to produce their medicines in short periods of time and with less effort. The local community people can collect dry leaves and dead branches from the plantation for firewood. This technology is simple enough to implement by the local people without any need of external financial and technical support. The local herbal healers have to collect raw materials to prepare their medicines.
Medicinal plants are an important component of Bangladesh’s national wealth. Even as they serve as important therapeutic agents in various traditional and modern medicines, our understanding of their abundance, distribution, and novel pharmaceutical compounds is poor. The planting/cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants and adequate engagement of local indigenous communities of Bolipara village is a good example of an action that can promote sustainability in all its dimensions (reduced land degradation, social and economic well-being through increase in raw material availability for traditional healers, etc.). Lack of marketing channel of medicinal raw materials and lack of scientific knowledge and tools for medicinal raw materials handling is a potential threat for sustaining the technology in the long run. The capacities of the local herbal healers can be strengthened through training and the marketing channel can be improved through engaging private sector in traditional medicine value chain.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

Indicate year of implementation:

2008

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

"Conservation Through Practices" project implemented by IUCN Bangladesh and BNKS. The main objective of the project was to conserve medicinal plants in degraded land areas by the supervision of Monks in Buddhist temples.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• preserve/ improve biodiversity
• create beneficial economic impact
• create beneficial social impact

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

No

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

• Yes (Please fill out the questions below with regard to the land use before implementation of the Technology)

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

No

3.4 Water supply

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• forest plantation management
• improved ground/ vegetation cover
• improved plant varieties/ animal breeds

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• reduce land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

other/ national currency (specify):

BDT

If relevant, indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (e.g. 1 USD = 79.9 Brazilian Real): 1 USD =:

83.0

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Nursery preparation (seed collection, site clearing, leveling and fencing, drainage arrangement, bed preparation, making overhead shed, poly-bag preparation, potting seeds, manuring, irrigation, weed control)	September-October
2.	Site preparation (boundary demarcation, jungle cutting, debris collection and staging, preparation of inspection paths and fire lines)	May-June
3.	Plantation (pit preparation, tying up of plants, application of fertilizers, compost and biocide, stick for support)	June-July

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Nursery preparation (seed collection, site clearing, leveling and fencing, drainage arrangement, bed preparation, making overhead shed, poly-bag preparation, potting seeds, manuring, irrigation, weed control)	person-days	25.0	500.0	12500.0	100.0
Labour	Plantation site preparation (boundary demarcation, jungle cutting, debris collection and staging, preparation of inspection paths and fire lines)	person-days	13.0	500.0	6500.0	100.0
Labour	Plantation (pit preparation, tying up of plants, application of fertilizers, compost and biocide, stick for support)	person-days	27.0	500.0	13500.0	100.0
Equipment	Poly-bags	pieces	3000.0	1.0	3000.0
Equipment	Bamboo for shed and bed edging	pieces	6.0	250.0	1500.0
Equipment	Nursery equipment (Bucket, spade, scissor, knife etc.)	Lump sum	1.0	600.0	600.0
Plant material	Procure and transport of loamy soil for filling 3000 poly-bags (17.78cmX1270cm )	Cubic Meter	3.0	400.0	1200.0
Plant material	Seed purchase	Kg	3.0	500.0	1500.0
Plant material	Bamboo stick for tying up of plants	pieces	2600.0	2.0	5200.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Compost	Kg	700.0	4.0	2800.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Urea	Kg	15.0	35.0	525.0
Fertilizers and biocides	TSP	Kg	15.0	40.0	600.0
Fertilizers and biocides	MOP	Kg	15.0	30.0	450.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Biocide	Lump Sum	1.0	200.0	200.0
Construction material	Signboard (for demarcation of plantation site)	Lump Sum	1.0	1000.0	1000.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					51075.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					615.36

Comments:

Traditional local healers and Buddhist monks of Bolipara are the land user here. The project of IUCN Bangladesh titled as, ‘One Stop Service: facilitating conservation of medicinal plant and traditional health service to ethnic communities of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Bangladesh’ covered some cost of the technology.

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Vacancy filing	June-July
2.	Tying up of plants	June-July
3.	Fertilizer application	June-July
4.	Weeding	Three times in a year

4.6 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Vacancy filling	Person-days	6.0	500.0	3000.0	100.0
Labour	Tying up of plants	Person-days	1.0	500.0	500.0	100.0
Labour	Fertilizer application	Person-days	5.0	500.0	2500.0	100.0
Labour	Weeding (3 times)	Person-days	18.0	500.0	9000.0	100.0
Plant material	Bamboo stick for tying up of plants	pieces	550.0	2.0	1100.0
Plant material	Seedling	pieces	500.0	5.0	2500.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	NPK fertilizer	Kg	125.0	30.0	3750.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					22350.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					269.28

If land user bore less than 100% of costs, indicate who covered the remaining costs:

The project "One Stop Service: facilitating conservation of medicinal plant and traditional health service to ethnic communities of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Bangladesh" covered some maintenance cost of the plantation.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Labor cost

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• convex situations

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

No

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• communal/ village

Land use rights:

• communal (organized)

Water use rights:

• open access (unorganized)

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

No

Specify:

The private land was donated to the Bolipara Kobiraj Kalyan Somiti by its original owner. The Bolipara Kobiraj Kalyan Somiti is a local institution of traditional healers and Buddhist monk.

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Climate and disaster risk reduction

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	increase or decrease	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	not known
seasonal temperature	dry season	increase	moderately
annual rainfall		decrease	not known
seasonal rainfall	wet/ rainy season	increase	well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
landslide	well

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 1-10%

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?

• 0-10%

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

No

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Reduction in land degradation.
Enhancement of the supply of medicinal raw materials.
Conservation of rare and endangered medicinal plant species.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Builds community awareness of biodiversity conservation
Increase of carbon sequestration

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Land use conflicts for short term income. The tree species require significant time to grow and yield fruits and flowers for herbal use. Short term return from the plantation site is low compared to other land uses e.g. shifting cultivation, annual crop cultivation, etc.	There is a need to diversify income sources for the communities
Adjacent commercial teak plantation is a threat to soil erosion.	Requires engagement of the teak plantation owners and increasing knowledge of local community
Lack of capacities for medicinal raw materials storage.	Could potentially involve private organizations in the medicinal value chain

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Lack of training and tools for proper use of medicinal raw materials.	Strengthen the capacities of local healers through training
Lack of marketing channel to distribute herbal medicines in other places.	Opportunity to involve the private sector in traditional medicine value chain

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Motaleb, M.A. et al. 2011. Selected Medicinal Plants of Chittagong Hill Tracts. ISBN: 978-984-33-3650-7

Available from where? Costs?

IUCN Bangladesh

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Motaleb, M. A., 2010. Approaches to Conservation of Medicinal Plants and Traditional Knowledge: A Focus on the Chittagong Hill Tracts. IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), Bangladesh Country Office, Dhaka, Bangladesh, pp viii+30.

Available from where? Costs?

https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2010-030.pdf

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

Medicinal Plant Abundance in Degraded and Reforested Sites in Northwest Pakistan

URL:

URL: https://doi.org/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-09-00017.1

7.4 General comments

The WOCAT questionnaire covers all the technical aspects of this technology