The Cockpit Country, an area of forested hills which covers parts of St James, Trelawny and St Elizabeth, is highly treasured by scientists because of the vast number of plants and animals found only in that region. These plants and animals also provide food and livelihood to many in the surrounding communities.

The forests contain medicinal plants which are used in home remedies and as key ingredients in wines, 'root' drinks and tonics.

Among these forest plants are chainy root, sarsaparilla, medina and 'strong back'.

Over the years, however, the Cockpit country has been heavily harvested for various non-timber products such as roots, bark, vines, leaves and fruits. Medicinal plants are now being reported to be in short supply or available only deep in the interior.

US funding

With funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in collaboration with government and local committees, a project led by Dr Sylvia Mitchell, lecturer and head of the Medicinal Plant Research Group at the Biotechnology Centre, UWI, Mona, was launched for the micropropagation of select non-timber forest medicinal plants.

The researchers, realising that there is an urgent need to curtail the threat to non-timber forest products, have begun educating residents about how they can earn a living in a manner that does not degrade the forests. Dr Mitchell said an important component of the education process is showing the residents how to incorporate new technology into their traditional livelihood practices.

where the process starts

She says: "The process starts in the laboratory where the hard-to-find forest plants are multiplied by a process called micropropagation. The rooted plantlets are then taken to the tree-hardening facilities established in the Cockpit Country at Quick Step, Troy and Bunker's Hill. At these demonstration sites, the plantlets are removed from their glass vessels and after a hardening phase, when they are strong enough, they are planted in the field plots."

Dr Mitchell noted that the Cockpit Country's endangered species, particularly these valuable medicinal plants, are now being preserved from over-harvesting. In addition, large numbers of plantlets of economically important crops such as wicker, peppers, peppermint, ginger and pineapples are also distributed free of cost to participating community members on the basis that they will collect growth data for the project.

The UWI has created a new opportunity for every rural person in Jamaica to farm and earn a living by using these disease-free plantlets to produce a more bountiful harvest. Farmer John no longer has to trek far into the forest, destroying it in the process, to make a living. Dr Mitchell and other UWI researchers will be present at the UWI booth at the Denbigh Show from July 31 to August 2.

The UWI has created a new opportunity for every rural person in Jamaica to farm and earn a living by using these disease-free plantlets to produce a more bountiful harvest.