O programa nacional de plantas medicinais e fitoterápicos e o processo participativo de implantação de hortas medicinais pelos coletivos de mulheres do MST, no Sul de Minas Gerais

Abstract

This study has identified the required tools to insert two women’s group of The Landless Rural Workers’ Movement (MST) from the South of Minas Gerais, Brazil, into Phytotherapy Programs in the Unified Health System (SUS), with production of medicinal plants. Four meetings were held with representatives of these groups to elaborate a fundraising project with the aim of implanting two agroecological gardens of medicinal herbs. Also, two informal interviews were made with the municipal secretaries of Health about the Phytotherapy Program in the SUS. Some information has been raised about the experience of Phytotherapy in SUS and regulation guidelines and actions set out by the National Policy of Medicinal Plants and Herbal Medicines (PNPMF) were chosen to implant the medicinal plants production and to develop the family agriculture. The obtained financial resources have permitted the implantation of gardens, formation of partnerships to technical capacitation and to increase the visibility of participants. Based on the prior information, a plan was elaborated to describe the three most important challenges: partnerships with gestors, community and institutions (education/research/extension), development of Local Productive Arrangements (APL) and legislation, and actions to be carry out by the groups. In the future, it is expected an increase of studies about production and commercialization of medicinal plants and that the family agriculture participation will be commonly required by Phytotherapy Programs in the SUS. The proximity between universities and rural social movements enables the development of scientific researches and practices with direct and participative interaction of the family agriculture.