Who is smuggling Uganda’s key medicinal plants from Game Parks to Europe?

The researchers found that four of the documented plant species, Tamarindus indica (enkoge), Warburgia ugandensis (balwegira), Mitragyna rubrastipulata (mutamatama), and Mondia whitei (mulondo), are listed on both the global and national red lists of threatened species, and were identified as having experienced a sharp population decline. The decline in medicinal plant availability was attributed to several factors, including illicit trade to Europe. “These plants are experiencing a significant decline due to overharvesting and the absence of sustainable use and conservation plans,” Tugume says.

According to researchers, the medicinal plants that form the basis of many traditional and modern medicinal remedies are increasingly under threat.