Itzama is an innovative medicinal plant project providing a model for culturally appropriate sustainable development in poorer indigenous communities in Toledo, Belize. While economically disadvantaged, the area is rich in biodiversity
resources (it is a biodiversity hotspot and key conservation area for Central America) and is endowed with a rich Maya cultural heritage, especially in traditional healing, and it benefits from Belize’s democratic government, civil society and
promotion of ethnic diversity. The project provides a culturally appropriate model for economic development, community participation, heritage and biodiversity conservation.
The project provides a physical site for traditional medicine and healing to local people while at the same time stimulating local economic development by marketing traditional healing products and services to exponentially growing global
markets in Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). The project will not only bring tangible economic benefits to local people but also contribute to the conservation of a threatened indigenous culture and endangered biodiversity of the area.
By bringing traditional healers together in a forum where they are able to treat sickness and promote wellness in a culturally relevant manner while they train young apprentices in traditional methods of healing, the project will develop a range
of healing products and services that ingrate their traditional knowledge into the socially responsible global CAM marketplace. It will enter into the supply chain for fair traded goods and facilitate direct business links between fair trade markets
and local Maya communities. By developing business linkages, the project will enhance competition, increase investment, help to resolve land tenure issues, and ultimately ensure tangible benefits to the poor local communities providing a cultural and
economic incentive to conserve the natural ecosystem. READ MORE ...
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