Projets
58. Multiplication and Expansion of Artemisia annua in Benin (Phase II)
In Benin, 36% of the hospitalisations are due to malaria. During the first phase of the project, Artemisia annua was tested in the school gardens of 4 schools, where it confirmed its efficacy against malaria and other tropical infectious diseases as well as the improvement of scholastic results. Malaria remains a deadly disease, treated officially through the distribution of bed-nets, early diagnosis tests and medication, which are too expensive, for a large part of the population. These official means are also plagued by technical problems (resistances). Instead, Artemisia annua can be grown by everyone, needs limited cultivation area to support a family, has multiple effects (repellent, prophylaxis, healing) and is effective against a whole series of other infectious tropical diseases. IDAY has gained a certain experience in the cultivation and utilisation of the Artemisia annua infusions, through schools to control extension and accustom youngsters to use the plant together with other medical plants and plants with a highly nutritious content to control extension and proper use of these plants by the youth.
Country: Benin
Beneficiaries: 8 schools and 4 colleges, 8675 beneficiaries
Duration: 24 months
Promoter: CENTRE UNIV
Total Cost: € 116 910
Outside Financing: € 67 929
Project
In this second phase, Artemisia annua will be produced in part for commercial purposes in an agricultural centre equipped in particular with irrigation and a storage facility that will be made accessible to the whole population for their Artemisia annua production. It will also be planted in 8 schools and 4 colleges located in 4 Provinces as showcases for future expansion to all the schools of the area. Medical tests will be carried out before and after the use of Artemisia annua to verify its efficacy. Other plants, like Moringa oelifera, for instance, will also be introduced in the school gardens; Schools are selected on the grounds of the competencies of the teachers in agriculture and the agreement to train young students for the later extension of the project to other schools. The project also comprises support to the administration of IDAY-Benin to ensure that the operation is sustainable, raise awareness among the authorities and supervise and evaluate the operation. It also contains a token support to IDAY-International to supervise all the similar operations in Africa and defend the interests of the members of the network at the international level.
The project will be carried out by Centre International des Droits Humains et de la Solidarité Universelle (CENTRE UNIV) under control of the national coalition IDAY-Benin.
Goals
Introduce 8000 students and 675 teachers, parents and gardeners who will specialise in raising and using Artemisia annua and help extend the crop to the whole population. Raise the scholastic results in 8 schools and 4 colleges that will test the plant. Produce Artemisia annua tea and capsules sold at low cost to the local population through 2 agricultural centres. Convince the authorities of the advantages of this method to fight malaria and other tropical infectious diseases and prepare 15 schools for phase III in other schools of the area and at national scale. At international level, obtain the recognition of the superiority of method to fight malaria in Africa.
Expected results
> Production of Artemisia annua to protect students and teachers against malaria and other infectious diseases
> Production of seed, plants and cuttings for other interested schools and neighbouring farmers
> Improvement of school results and reduction of the rate of school dropouts
> Drop in the health costs in the region
> Production of Artemisia annua capsules or tea for sale
> Members of IDAY-Benin know how to cultivate and use the plant
> School Personnel of participating schools are trained
> Responsible authorities of health and education are made aware of the advantages of
Artemisia annua for the education and health of the population and the need to
spread the crop in schools
> The project has prepared the extension of the plantations in other schools of the
selected area