Encouraging the participation of rural farmers in the practice of medicinal plant harvesting and processing serves a multitude of purposes and provides substantial benefits to rural communities.

Income generation:
When markets are available, medicinal plants (especially when professionally processed and branded) provide much needed income to supplement the lives of subsistence farmers.

Environmental protection:
Protection of trees and forests. Communities receive economic benefits from protecting the environment where medicinal plants are harvested - primarily the forests which also provide fuel, increased water production, erosion protection etc when conserved.

Health:
Drinking medicinal tea regularly provides a boost to immune systems thereby reducing the frequency of illness and reducing the regularity of costly hospital visits. Medicinal plants also provide cheap/ free remedies for simple health problems for local populations.