| [Back to front page] | Uņa de Gato The plant named uņa de gato (Uncaria spp.) is reputed to possess remarkable medicinal characteristics. Uņa de gato is found in the rain forests of several Latin America countries as well as Peru, and it is being sold widely as a natural remedy in the developed world. Farmers collect the bark in the forest and augment their income by selling it to traders. Although much of the bark is collected from primary forests, uņa de gato also grows well on disturbed land. CIFOR is studying the implications of this NTFP and its future. Among the questions that are being asked are: Can the plant become a viable cultivated crop in secondary forests? Will farmers on the forest margin who place their futures in uņa de gato be economically hurt when industry starts producing in bulk from plantations and bio-reactors? CIFOR’s tentative conclusion is that two markets – one for drugs manufactured from uņa de gato and another ‘green’ market for locally grown and produced derivatives – may offer farmers the best chance of success. |