Information about training programme

• Title of training: Ethnobotanical knowledge systems
• Description of project: A series of lectures, case studies, seminars, discussion groups and oral presentations, completed by a term paper dealing with a relevant subject. The focus is on the developing field of ethnobotanical knowledge systems with regard to medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) in developing countries. Embarking on the development of ethno-science, and in particular ethnobotany in the 1950’s, the programme seeks to locate the recent reorientation towards indigenous peoples and their plant-related knowledge systems within the overall process of globalisation, both in the sciences as well as in society.
• Duration of training: 2 weeks

Type of training

Practical experiences

• Case studies
• Oral presentations
• Writing of a paper

Lectures

• General introduction
• Interdisciplinary Approach towards research and training in EKS
• The history of human-plant interaction: wild food & non-food plants for subsistence
• Research Methods & Techniques
• The concept of Bio-cultural diversity; MAPs for primary health care improvement and conservation; EKS & bioprospecting; Indigenous phytotherapy & phytochemistry; EKS, agriculture & agribusiness; International declarations & conventions, and Traditional resource rights

Seminars

• Case studies will focus on practical projects and problem-oriented experience in the Mediterranean Region, Sub-Saharan Africa and Indonesia.

Contact information of mentor / supervisor

• Name of mentor / supervisor: Prof. Dr. J. Slikkeveer
• Institution / Organisation: The National Herbarium of the Netherlands
• EDIT partner number: 6
• Unit / Department / Laboratory: PITA
• Address: Van Steenis building, Einsteinweg 2, Leiden, The Netherlands

Target audience: for trainees at PhD or Postdoc level.

Individual training based on face-to-face and group discussions and self-activation in practicals. The content is shaped to the advanced courses organized by NHN in this matter, which usually have 1-2 lectures a day followed by a full day practicals and demonstrations.