**3. Evidence of the need for investment in the cultivation of medicinal plants from the African perspective**

The COVID-19 pandemic commenced and most nations of the world swung into action for the search for the cure of the viral infection through several means which include: synthesizing of new drugs, testing already existing drugs and search of new drugs from natural sources. Although, the African countries could not go on to search for cures from other sources; it looked at what is readily available on her continent and made a giant stride towards the utilization of medicinal plants to combat the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic. This effort is evidenced by Madagascar's research institute who developed the Covid-Organics (medicinal plant preparation) derived mainly from *Artemisia annua* and other plants indigenous to Madagascar. Many other African countries including Nigeria have made effort in that regard. As demonstrated from the above, this calls for aggressive pharmaceutical research as it has demonstrated the therapeutic potentials of the medicinal plants of African origin towards the fight against the deadly viral disease (COVID-19). Africa needs to invest in the cultivation of medicinal plants for pharmaceutical research towards the development of drugs. Medicinal plants may be the latent savior for the Africans against present and future pandemics. Africa needs to prepare a head and not wait for other pandemics before it starts searching for a cure. This shows Africa's late response to COVID-19 because it was not prepared. Africa has a great advantage as it houses huge varieties of medicinal plants resources and it is in best position to search for the cure of the future diseases from medicinal plants. Professor Albert Rakoto Ratsimamanga the pioneer of Science in Madagascar stated and declared that "*we (Africa) must move forward at our own pace, we must above all have confidence in ourselves and in the therapeutic virtues of nature. For nature and man are one*" [17].
