Last updated: October 2024
Herboristerie Créole, established in 2012 in Martinique by Séverine and Rémi Asensio, is a private farm and business focused on cultivating aromatic and medicinal plants, managing all stages of production, processing, and marketing. Situated in the commune of Gros-Morne, the farm draws on traditional Creole knowledge to produce medicinal plants and Creole cosmetics. Spanning 1.8 hectares, it is organized as a forest garden, featuring a diverse ecosystem that includes aromatic and medicinal plants, spices, fruit trees, and tropical flowers. Agroecological practices are central to its operation, with natural mulching from coconuts and green waste, and composting from the forest garden enriching the soil. In addition, Herboristerie Créole operates a certified organic herbal dispensary in Saint Joseph, specializing in medicinal plants. The dispensary merges ancestral knowledge from the local "Rimèd Razié" tradition—a practice involving the use of native plants and natural remedies for healing, passed down through generations—with modern pharmaceutical standards. It produces a range of products, including herbal teas, infusions, spices, oils, and capsules for pharmaceutical and cosmetic use. The farm is instrumental in preserving and passing on ancestral knowledge, which was once banned during the period of slavery, while ensuring that its artisanal products comply with dosage and safety regulations. Located at the foot of the Carbet peaks, the farm holds the Biological Farming (AB) label and follows agroecological methods through its "Jardin Créole" approach. It avoids the use of phytosanitary products, aims for zero waste, and implements measures to preserve biodiversity. (ref. 1, 2, 5, 6)
Harevsting
https://agriculture.gouv.fr/innovation-les-tresors-des-jardins-de-lherboristerie-creole
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Community gardens and allotments
- Horticulture
Key challenges
- Environmental quality
- Soil quality improvement
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of historic traditions
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Improving physical health
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Economic development: agriculture
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Sustainable production
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Agriculture/ crop production
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Loss of sense of place and identity
Key priorities
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of any other green urban spaces, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Soil remediation and revegetation, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Protection of agroecology approaches (agroforestry & silvopastoral systems)
Project objectives
To develop a business model that respects the environment by aligning production with agroecological principles, contributing to biodiversity preservation and conservation (native and medicinal plants) and soil improvement.
To transmit ancestral knowledge by creating products based on the traditional medicinal properties of native plants.
To contribute to the health and well-being of consumers through the production of natural medicinal and wellness products.
To create a green space by establishing a 1.8-hectare forest-garden.
Implementation activities
The Creole garden is organized as a forest garden with an area of 1.8 hectares. The farm includes a very diverse ecosystem: aromatic and medicinal plants, spices, fruit trees, ornamental tropical flowers, etc. Many agroecological practices are deployed on the farm. Soil fertilization is ensured by natural mulching based on coconuts and green waste produced on the farm. For compost, producers mainly use compost from the forest garden. Hedges are planted along the edge of the farm and the river that feeds it is regularly analyzed to monitor its impact on the flora. Herboristerie Créole was one of the first to benefit from the organic farmer label for medicinal plants in Martinique. The entire cultivation process meets the requirement of a virtuous circle by maintaining and promoting biodiversity. An aspect taken care of by Rémi, Séverine's husband and agricultural engineer, whose skills allow optimal use of a small area of land. The plants are picked by hand and once in the laboratory for drying, day-to-day monitoring is meticulously put in place. In addition, the farm is part of a "zero waste" and biodiversity preservation approach. Herboristerie Créole operates a certified organic herbal dispensary in Saint Joseph, specializing in medicinal plants. The product is delivered locally and worldwide: deliveries are made with carton collected from a partner-pharmacy (synergy). And, whenever possible, the packaging is recyclable. (Ref. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect native species
- Means for conservation governance
- Protect and apply traditional knowledge and conservation practices
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Private sector/corporate actor/company
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Launched in 2012 and registered as a business in 2015, the project is managed by Rémi, who oversees production and harvesting, and Séverine, who is responsible for the laboratory and product preparation. . In 2016, they benefited from technical support provided by PARM, a business network that offers resources to promising enterprises. They also received strategic marketing guidance from Village by CA, which helped them refine their marketing strategy and redefine their target clientele.
In 2019, the project was awarded €6,000 for "Excellent Organic Farming" by Crédit Agricole and Agence Bio (Ref 8). Additionally, it received a special mention from the jury during the 2021-2022 edition of the Agroecology Trophies competition ( French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty), where it was one of three recipients sharing a prize pool of €21,000 (Refs 1; 3; 4; 5; 8).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Type of enablers
Change agents (individual with major role influence on launching)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public national budget
- Commercial banks
- Private funding by citizens
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Private sector (businesses, financial institution)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Achieved increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
- Achieved increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
- Generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
- Achieved generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
- Increased market share for green economies
- Expected increased market share for green economies
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Achieved increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved physical health
- Expected improved physical health
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Expected increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Other
References
1.
Herboristerie créole (n.d.). Notre philosophie. herboristeriecreole.com, Accessed on September 18, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Ternatur (n.d.). Herboristerie Créole. ternatur.fr, Accessed on September 18, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Ministère de l'Agriculture et de la Souveraineté alimentaire (2022). Innovation : les trésors des jardins de l’Herboristerie Créole. Ministère de l'Agriculture et de la Souveraineté alimentaire, Accessed on September 18, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Gelin, Y. (2021). L’Herboristerie Créole fait rimer rimèd razié, saveurs et sécurité. ewag.fr, Accessed on September 18, 2024, [Source link];
5.
EWAG (2017). Herboristerie Créole : lauréat du Prix Innovation “Nutrition Santé” du PARM 2016. ewag.fr, Accessed on September 18, 2024, [Source link];
6.
INSEE (2021). Dossier complet Commune de Saint-Joseph (97224). INSEE, Accessed on September 18, 2024, [Source link];
7.
INSEE (2021). Dossier complet Commune de Gros-Morne (97212). INSEE, Accessed on September 18, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Crédit Agricole (2019). 6ème édition des Trophées de l’Excellence Bio - Le Crédit Agricole et l’Agence Bio récompensent « l’association Gens du Marais et d’ailleurs » et « l’Herboristerie créole ». presse.credit-agricole.com, Accessed on September 18, 2024, [Source link];
Garden
https://agriculture.gouv.fr/innovation-les-tresors-des-jardins-de-lherboristerie-creole
The duo behind the Créole Herbal Dispensary
Retrieved from: https://www.herboristeriecreole.com/
The Créole garden
Retrieved from: https://www.herboristeriecreole.com/2022/10/21/trophee-concours-herboristerie-creole/
Creole Garden
https://agriculture.gouv.fr/innovation-les-tresors-des-jardins-de-lherboristerie-creole
Creole Garden
https://agriculture.gouv.fr/innovation-les-tresors-des-jardins-de-lherboristerie-creole
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.