Aziz Ali Khan
Aga Khan Foundation (AKF)
Title: Contribution of indigenous knowledge of medicinal & aromatic plants to biodiversity conservation in Pamir region of Tajik and Afghan Badakhshan
Biography
Biography: Aziz Ali Khan
Abstract
The Pamir region lies at the junction of Asia's greatest mountain ranges − the Himalayas, Karakoram, Hindu Kush, and Tian Shan. This complex geographic region is recognized for its great biodiversity, and it is in many ways unique – yet it also shares many affinities with other mountain ranges worldwide, such as vertical relief, ruggedness and remoteness. These mountain characteristics provide a great diversity of habitats suitable for many different species, thus supporting a rich biodiversity in a unique geographical region. Medicinal and aromatic plants are an important natural resource in the Pamir region, as they play a vital role in food security and the maintenance of human health, especially in poor communities, where even relatively inexpensive modern medicines remain beyond the purchasing power of most people. Despite an increasing human population and continuous pressure on the region’s natural resources, local communities in the Pamirs have thus far preserved their indigenous knowledge of plants, and in certain areas they also have sustainably managed wild plants with nutritional or medicinal properties. Mountain communities in the Pamir region have traditionally been engaged in biodiversity conservation through the preservation and oral dissemination of indigenous knowledge on utilization and management of biological resources. To support effective and sustainable management of special medicinal, food and aromatic plants, there is need to assess and understand both the state of local knowledge and how such traditional knowledge contributes to biodiversity conservation and natural resources management