Supporting The Environment Through Kratom Farming

As the effects of climate change slowly begin to make their way more widely known worldwide, Kratom has seen a resurgence of interest, especially from researchers who seek solutions to the growing global crisis of opioids. As environmental issues collide with Kratom awareness, a new microscope is directed at cultivating Kratom’s farming practices. Farming is directly correlated with the environment.

Farmers need money for their crops, which are a byproduct of the environment. However, as more farmers become more greedy, especially large North American giants, ecosystems are being wiped out, land left barren, and communities being starved into poverty. Sustainable practices are starting to become more known, which could protect the environment, provide profits, and heavy yield. The farming methods used for Kratom fall into this category.

The Plant: Kratom

The mitragyna speciosa, or Kratom plant, is in the same family of plants as coffee and grows natively in Southeast Asia. The indigenous communities in these areas have long looked at Kratom as a medicinal substance and, through research done around the world, revealed 40 active compounds. The plant grows in soil that is moist and acidic, prominent features of earth in Southeast Asia. Even though the plant has potential therapeutic benefits, regulating bodies worldwide have not approved Kratom use just yet.

The farming practices of Kratom in Southeast Asia are part of the culture. The traditions are passed down through generations. Family growers and harvesters practice sustainably and ethically, and the farming industry as a whole in these places looks vastly different from any in America. The result of the local communities farming methods supports the environment, economy, and biodiversity.

Decentralizing Cultivation

One of Kratom farming’s top benefits is that it does not require the entire forest to be torn down for the crops to go. This is much unlike the monoculture palm fields that have replaced large spans of the diverse rainforest. Kratom farmers plant their trees among the other wild species and in private backyard plantations without removing any natural ecosystems.

Maintaining Wildlife

The decentralized farming method outlined above preserves the flora, and all the wildlife in the area remains untouched. Asian jungles are home to thousands of rare animals, some of which are on the path towards extinction, such as the Sumatran tiger and the orangutan. Large companies and countries have encroached on this land in other places and past years and threatened the wildlife population. Kratom vendors and dealers should be working with the farmers in these areas to support farming practices that preserve the homes of the various endangered wildlife species.

Practicing Sustainability

The problem with industrial farming is that it will do whatever it takes as long as there are bountiful yields. Their means justify their ends. In contrast, Kratom farming selectively prunes trees during harvest to guarantee that Kratom’s supply stays ample now and for generations in the future. As the farmers only take some of the leaves, leaving the tree intact, the plant can continue to grow hardier over time.

To further bolster the Kratom growing technique, the soil found deep in the jungle is nutrient-rich and nourishing for the plants, which means no chemicals or synthetic fertilizers need to be used. While some safe fertilizers can be cleaned off plants, otherwise, they will seep into the water supply and contaminate the land. If this happens in the rainforest, the entire ecosystem could be devastated. By farming in the wild and on personal properties, Kratom farmers eliminate this risk.

Practicing Fair Trade

While you may think of fair trade as an environmental focus, fair trade practices significantly affect the land and ecosystem in the countries where the products originate. Fair trade ensures that the farmers on the land receive proper payment for their work, which allows them to maintain the land and livelihood and not wipe out the entire crop.

Paying workers pennies is a colonial practice that can strip these small communities of all their resources, with the sole goal of bringing profits to wealthy western countries. For centuries families have been forced to relocate and do unsafe work to survive. In some cases, entire villages are bulldozed to the ground to create room for a new crop.

In Southeast Asia, where most Kratom farming happens, the families have been living semi-isolated for generations. Their history is built on families, traditions, and story-telling. If these communities disappear, whether it is from them running from destruction or moving to find better work, their histories could be lost forever.

Fairtrade Kratom farming ensures that a stable income is doled out to farmers to preserve ancestral structures and community buildings, and their traditions can continue to be practiced. Kratom sellers in the USA who work with these farmers to safeguard the communities and strengthen the Kratom plants. These practices unify the environment and sustainability, which also fends off an industrial company purchasing the land.

Buy High Quality

Make sure when you are purchasing Kratom, you always buy high-quality products. These products are going to be fair trade and sourced ethically. Always speak to the dealers about their farming practices so you can learn more.