In efforts to strengthen plant exploration and it’s usage, an organization, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, ICGEB, in collaboration with Claretian University Nigeria, Imo State University, Owerri and Premium Blue Economy Innovation and Investments Ltd organized its first international workshop on capacity building in Phyto-biotechnology application in climate change mitigation.
The three-day event held in Abuja was aimed at up scaling the practice of exploring natural sources to address climate change.
The convener, Kenneth Anchang in his remarks explained that Phyto-biotechnology is a technology utilized to exploit available green materials without changing the nature of the plants.
“There’s no one on earth who doesn’t use plants so the benefit of this technology is that we now have knowledge on how to package them and bring out the potentials that are hidden in these plants to get the best results.
“And to do this, we need to bring in science to understand these plants better, prove that they are efficacious and how we can package these plants without interfering with their natural condition.”
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The professor who claimed that Nigeria has more than 300,000 Medicinal plants lamented the poor maximization of these plants, as according to him, many people are not confident in using plants to address their health needs.
“When we mention plants, some people think it’s local, something that is primitive, but then that’s wrong. It means they don’t have confidence that plant medicines are effective,” he noted.
Anchang urged Nigeria scientists to improve people’s understanding on the adoption and use of plant medicines and consumption of organically produced products in order
While advocating that plants should be used the way they are, the convener maintained that by engaging with farmers at the grass root, the practice of exploring natural sources would increase thereby reducing the rate of carbon emission.
CEO of Premium Blue Economy Innovation and Investments Ltd, Sola Gegele advocated for the integration of System Dynamics models to elevate indigenous knowledge within tertiary institutions. This strategic approach, when coupled with government policies focusing on urban-rural community development, has the transformative potential to significantly bolster food security in Nigeria.
“By fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and policymakers, we can create a dynamic ecosystem that empowers local communities and drives sustainable progress towards a more resilient and prosperous future,” he said.
Dr. Ngozika Okechukwu presented a research paper on the inclusion of selected spices in Wistar rats, a study carried out to ascertain the functionalities of spices in mammals.
She added that using spices such as cloves in their natural states without modifying them is required in foods to help promote heart health.
The Officer in Charge of Economic and International Corporation at the Mexican Embassy, Ruben Cabrera said the conference is a great start in terms of adding up knowledge to help solve problems regarding food security and medicine.
Olivia Gladys Fade, a PhD student at the university of Parakou, Benin Republic, made a presentation on Mushrooms, underscored the utility of this product for different purposes and highlighted the need to develop the plant for modern day use.
Romanus Eze, State Chairman of the Nigeria Association of farmers, Enugu State chapter commended the organizers of the event, saying the seminar is an eye opener to embracing natural sources rather than using chemicalized means to grow and preserve their products which is harmful to human health.
He called the government to equip farmers with necessary materials to effectively harness these natural resources.
Credible News reports that participants would be trained on how to utilize available natural resources to cultivate and grow products organically during the three day program workshop.
Credible news.ng
