Why we must safeguard our forest muthi

Audio By Vocalize

There is a vast amount of medicinal wealth found in Africa's forests, but in the absence of formal intellectual property rights, traditional healers can count themselves lucky if they get crumbs from the big pharma table for any traditional cures developed into drugs. None of which is to say healers make it easy for those who wish to help them...

A bit like a big chunk of beautiful African mahogany, the problem is a knotty one. And just why it's so complicated (and a few possible solutions) is the subject of a talk Kenyan forest scientist Dr Doris Mutta gave at the 12th annual Oppenheimer Research Conference, in Midrand from 4 to 6 October.