Articles
Promotion of Artemisia annua in Burundi and neighboring countries
Article number
1462_24
Pages
167 – 172
Language
English
Abstract
In Burundi, malaria infections increased in 2022 to more than 8 million persons with 13.9% of hospital deaths and a fatality rate among hospitalized patients of 77%. Between 2011 and 2018, Artemisia annua projects were implemented by the Cercle des Ingénieurs Agronomes pour le Développement (CIAD) financed by three Belgian foundations. A. annua was tested in the Imbo and Mugamba regions with highly different soils and climatic conditions.
In the Imbo region, A. annua develops quickly, with a short cycle of 4 months after planting.
In the Mugamba region, the plant develops slowly over a 6-month cycle, with very abundant foliage, 4 m high and 3 m wide, requiring greater planting distances.
Agricultural techniques were mastered by local producers in the two regions. 1500 pupils, parents and teachers were made aware of the virtues of A. annua. It was subsequently abandoned for various reasons, mainly the lack of government support.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 20 kg of A. annua herbal tea were distributed and consumed.
A community of the Catholic Church continues to exploit the plant.
In one hospital, nurses claim to have saved several patients with tuberculosis with A. annua. The repellent effect of the plant also was clearly demonstrated. A. annua training sessions were held in Rwanda, Kivu, Kinshasa and Tanzania.
Seeds of the cultivar ‘Apollo Mediplant’ reproduced by CIAD in Burundi, were distributed to the 300 participants.
According to IDAY records, in 2025, A. annua was cultivated in one school of Bas-Congo, in several locations in Kivu, including for the Uvira prisoners, and in the Nyarugusu refugee camp (16 schools catering to 1,000 children). For such projects to be sustainable, scientific research on the agronomic and medical aspects of the plant, in particular, to lift the World Health Organization’s opposition to the plant should be conducted.
In the Imbo region, A. annua develops quickly, with a short cycle of 4 months after planting.
In the Mugamba region, the plant develops slowly over a 6-month cycle, with very abundant foliage, 4 m high and 3 m wide, requiring greater planting distances.
Agricultural techniques were mastered by local producers in the two regions. 1500 pupils, parents and teachers were made aware of the virtues of A. annua. It was subsequently abandoned for various reasons, mainly the lack of government support.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 20 kg of A. annua herbal tea were distributed and consumed.
A community of the Catholic Church continues to exploit the plant.
In one hospital, nurses claim to have saved several patients with tuberculosis with A. annua. The repellent effect of the plant also was clearly demonstrated. A. annua training sessions were held in Rwanda, Kivu, Kinshasa and Tanzania.
Seeds of the cultivar ‘Apollo Mediplant’ reproduced by CIAD in Burundi, were distributed to the 300 participants.
According to IDAY records, in 2025, A. annua was cultivated in one school of Bas-Congo, in several locations in Kivu, including for the Uvira prisoners, and in the Nyarugusu refugee camp (16 schools catering to 1,000 children). For such projects to be sustainable, scientific research on the agronomic and medical aspects of the plant, in particular, to lift the World Health Organization’s opposition to the plant should be conducted.
Publication
Authors
J.C. Murengerantwari
Keywords
seed bank, school gardens, Artemisia training, ecological study, vertisol soils, ferralitic soils, altitude, climate, temperature
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