Problem statement

Dependence of rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa (about 44% of the population) on plants for their livelihood and well-being is immediate. In tropical Africa about 7,000 plant species provide a variety of foods, fibres, medicines, building materials, fuel, etc., for personal use and for sale in local, national, regional or international markets.

Information on these plant resources is stored in an overwhelming amount of international and local literature, which has been accumulating at an exponential rate, especially over the last decennia.

For the user in tropical Africa, the information has become inaccessible, partly because of its sheer volume, partly because it is scattered over several continents, several languages and numerous types of publications.
Due to a lack of awareness, the plant resources are generally under-utilized.

back