Description

Abstract: This research brief presents findings on gendered knowledge of medicinal plants among the Ogiek community of River Njoro watershed that shows that both men and women of various ages know and use medicinal plants found within the watershed. A total of 94 plants were found to be used by the community to treat various diseases. The plants included trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses, which are found along riverbanks, in open uncultivated fields, and in the forest. Men mentioned more plants than women, but women are responsible for the collecting, preparing and administering of the drugs. The older men and women know more plants than the younger people. Medicinal plants are threatened to extinction mainly due to habitat destruction for cultivation and indiscriminate vegetation clearing for charcoal burning. Participatory threedimensional mapping showed that women are able to identify plants found mainly along the river and in open fields as opposed to men who locate plants deep in the forest. This is due to gendered responsibilities in the community. Men and women showed interest in being involved in conservation interventions, such as establishing tree nurseries and botanical garden, and are willing to contribute labor and other materials needed for the interventions.