Herbal Medicine and Livelihoods: Examining the Annual Income of Value Chain Actors for Poverty Reduction in Ghana

Abstract

In Ghana, income poverty has been a challenging issue in recent times. The efforts made by the government to reduce income poverty have proof futile because the category of employment opportunities needed to reduce income poverty and improve livelihoods is limited. Herbal medicine as a livelihood activity, if supported, is capable of reducing poverty in Ghana. The purpose of this paper is to examine how herbal medicine value chain activities have supported sustainable income poverty reduction among the value chain actors in Ghana.

A mixed method was employed in collecting both qualitative and quantitative data using questionnaires, interview scheduled and focus group discussions. In all, 171 respondents were randomly selected from Tamale Metropolis and Sunyani Municipal. Questionnaires and interview scheduled were administered to nine input providers, 115 herbalists and 47 honey traders in the study areas. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, line graphs and percentages were employed in the analysis of quantitative data. Recorded voices and quotations were transcribed and used in analyzing qualitative data.

Findings show that herbal medicine activity is sustainable because actors have practiced herbal medicine for many decades. Findings from the study further show that input provider have increased their income levels due to an increase in supply of herbs to the herbalists. Again, the results show that the income levels of herbalists and herbal medicine traders have appreciated significantly over the last five-years.

The study recommends that all stakeholders such as Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, Herbal Medicine Association, and other institutions of government as well as Non- Governmental Organizations should give the necessary support to herbal medicine value chain actors to ensure higher production of herbal medicine to reduce poverty and enhance living conditions.

Key Words: Herbal Medicine, Livelihood, Poverty Reduction, Value Chain Actors

DOI: 10.7176/JPID/64-05

Publication date: April 30^th 2025