Impact of Environmental Conservation Status on Indigenous Medicinal Knowledge (IMK) Survival: Case of South Imenti in Meru County

Survival of indigenous medicinal knowledge is threatened due to environmental degradation. The later is partly caused by loss of natural vegetation, land transformation and diminishing use of socio-cultural conservation measures. The study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the level of environmental conservation and the existing indigenous medicinal knowledge in Imenti South District of Meru County with the following objectives; 1. Assessment of the approaches and strategies used in conservation of Indigenous Medicinal Resources, 2. Assessment of the zonal environmental conservation status of the Indigenous medical knowledge, and 3. Establish a framework for identifying priority medicinal materials for immediate domestication and conservation. Data was collected from 453 respondents using questionnaires, interview schedules and field observations. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 17 was used for analysis. Acceptance of indigenous medicine (IM) and the consequential overharvesting of indigenous medicinal materials (IMMs) was found to be on the rise.On farm growing, preservation and conservational harvesting through community-based development programme were recommended to revitalize indigenous medicinal resources. Jafford Rithaa | Antonina Mugambi"Impact of Environmental Conservation Status on Indigenous Medicinal Knowledge (IMK) Survival: Case of South Imenti in Meru County" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-2 | Issue-5 , August 2018, URL: http://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd14120.pdf http://www.ijtsrd.com/other-scientific-research-area/enviormental-science/14120/impact-of-environmental-conservation-status-on-indigenous-medicinal-knowledge-imk-survival-case-of-south-imenti-in-meru-county/jafford-rithaa