Burkina Faso/JNA 2025: A conference for health sovereignty based on medicinal plants
In the lead-up to the 7th edition of the National Tree Day (JNA), Bobo-Dioulasso hosted a strategically significant public conference on the theme: “Promoting Medicinal Plants in Burkina Faso: What Synergies Between Stakeholders?” This major event underscored President Ibrahim Traoré’s clear intention to reconcile cultural identity, sustainable development, and community health.
The gathering brought together researchers, traditional medicine practitioners, academic experts, and political leaders around a key issue: enhancing the country’s medicinal biodiversity while building strong bridges between modern medicine and indigenous knowledge.
President Ibrahim Traoré, through his Minister of the Environment, Roger Baro, emphasized the urgent need to preserve this biocultural heritage, which holds potential for both health and climate resilience. His vision is rooted in a break from external dependencies and supports health sovereignty based on local resources. The goal is to establish a legal framework for the protection, promotion, and commercialization of medicinal plants—incorporating intellectual property rights, anti-biopiracy measures, and certification.
The harmonization of modern and traditional medical practices thus becomes a strategic tool for improving healthcare access while boosting a local green economy. The donation of 130,000 medicinal plant seedlings to the 13 regions of the country, as part of the PARMEV/BF project, illustrates this strong political will to reforest the land while strengthening healthcare self-reliance.
This synergy between science, culture, and the environment marks a turning point toward a resilient Burkina Faso—proud of its roots and focused on the future.
