Titled, “Technology Transfer of Alternative Plant Medicines for Livestock Health Care in the Western Pacific,” the project handled by animal specialist, Dr. Allan Sabaldica, recently got $97,074 in professional development program grant form U.S. Department of Agriculture.
If the study is successful, the betelnut will become a more valuable agricultural product on Saipan.
The island has some 75,000 betelnut trees.
Sabaldica believes betelnut has properties that can paralyze or kill worms and other parasites in the digestive systems of humans and animals.
Livestock producers in the CNMI continue to deal with a lack of veterinarians and the rising cost of prescription drugs.
Sabaldica in his study, said historically, many ranchers in the Pacific have used herbal medicines to treat their sick farm animals.
Through the years, however, the people of the western Pacific seemed to have lost traditional knowledge regarding medicinal plants and their uses.
His project, Sabaldica said, will take a group of professionals to the Philippines to gather information about medicinal plants, including betelnuts.
The information will be translated into the CNMI’s native languages and trainer’s program will be implemented to teach producers the indications and applications of medicinal treatments.
This project will show that abundant, unused, medicinal plants are a promising solution for treating livestock.
Although Saipan no longer has year-round supply of betelnuts, the miniature palm fruits are seen almost every where on island.
There are local farmers who earn money from selling betelnuts.
