Indigenous Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on Plant Use for Animal Disease Management: Ethnobotanical Survey in Kongwa District

Abstract

To complement modern veterinary drugs in addressing the growing burden of livestock diseases, exploring alternative treatments such as medicinal plants is increasingly important. This study, conducted in Kongwa District, examined farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the use of medicinal plants to treat the infectious parasites of animals, with more emphasis on pigs. Randomly selected wards, villages, and streets were included, and face-to-face interviews were carried out with livestock owners using structured questionnaires. Plant identification was done with PlantNet software and verified by a botanist from the Department of Botany at Sokoine University of Agriculture. Findings showed that most respondents were aware of medicinal plant use for livestock treatment, receiving information mainly from family members, neighbors, and online sources. Many participants rated the effectiveness of medicinal plants as moderate to highly effective, though a few viewed them as less effective or ineffective. Several plants were documented for anthelmintic purposes, notably Azadirachta indica (roots and leaves), Cassia abbreviata (roots and stem bark), and Albizia anthelmintica (roots and stem bark). Plants used for managing ectoparasites includes Ocimum americanum, scattered or burned to repel pests; Capsicum annuum fruits burned to produce flea-repelling smoke; and Albizia lebbeck, whose root or stem bark was crushed in water to control ticks. Thus, it was observed that Kongwa District in Tanzania retains rich indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants’ use for managing animal diseases. Many farmers demonstrated awareness, positive attitudes, and continued practical use of these plant-based treatments.