Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainable Development

Abstract

There is an upsurge in the demand for herbal and traditional remedies for various ailments amongst communities in Kenya and internationally. The upsurge has been necessitated by the high cost of conventional modern medicine, inadequacies in public health service delivery and the ineffectiveness of conventional medicines. This study aimed to investigate the application of traditional medicine to manage diseases and ailments among the natives of Elgeyo Marakwet County in Kenya. The study’s specific objectives were to identify and document traditional herbs which grow in the Kerio Valley, explore indigenous knowledge used by the natives to administer the traditional herbs in palliative care and treatment of diseases and ailments and propose a framework for the preservation of indigenous knowledge for future generations. The study employed correlation analysis through a literature review to collect data on traditional medicine. The application of indigenous knowledge in administering the traditional medicine in Kerio Valley and other parts of the country. The study has documented traditional herbs of medicinal value in Kerio, Elgeyo Marakwet County, and consolidated the application of indigenous knowledge about their existence, use and awareness of their availability. The originality of this paper is reflected in the context, methodology and the subject under study for practical application by medical and herbal professionals and locals.