Imo State University, Claretian University scientists address climate change, hunger through phytobiotechnology
Group of experts led by Professor Kenneth Anchang Yangadi FCAS, fellow of the African Institute for Public Health has described phytobiotechology as the cheapest and safest means of mitigating global climate change, food insecurity and mental health challenges.
Speaking at at a 3-day First International Conference and Workshop on “Phytobiotechology Applications in Climate Change Mitigation,” the Chairman of the International Society for Phytobiotechnology and Public Health said, “Phytobiotechnology involves using green materials from the environment without modifying them through genetic engineering.”
He noted that the goal is to understand plants better, unlock their potential, and package them in a way that is effective without interfering with their natural existence.
“Today’s event is exploiting phytobiotechnology to address climate change impact, climate change problems globally. To a layman, this is a technology where you exploit available green materials from your environment. You understand these green materials, you understand the uses of these green materials, you bring them together without changing the nature of the plants at all.
“You are not modifying anything like what is opposed to genetic engineering. You are not changing any compound or transforming it in a way that is not agreeable with nature or with its natural existence. That is phytobiotechology,” he said.
Professor Kenneth emphasised that everyone depends on plants for food, medicine, clothing and Nigeria has an abundance of medicinal plants that are not being maximised.
He believes that scientists need to properly understand and package plant medicine so it meets global standards without isolating compounds like synthetic medicine does.
“I’m sure there’s no one on earth who doesn’t use plants either as food, either as medicine, clothes, or what have you. So we all depend on plants. And phyto, the word phyto, that prefix means what? Plants, right? So the benefit of this technology now is that we now have knowledge of how to package this plant, how to pick out, bring out the potential hidden in the plant that we are not seeing, and how to put it in such a way that it can give us the best result.
“To do this, we need to bring in science to understand these plants better, proof that they are efficacious, and at the same time, see not just end at that level of saying they are efficacious, but how do we package them together?
“That’s the dichotomy. That’s where scientists are cut off. They don’t understand how to package plants in a way that is effective and at the same time not interfering with its natural existence.
“Nigeria has more than 300,000 medicinal plants, for instance. And there are also plants that may not be medicinal, which I don’t agree with, because every plant has either a nutritional compound, which could be indirectly medicinal as well.
“So Nigeria is not maximising it, because when you mention plants generally in Nigeria, people would think that the connotation and the impression and the perception is something lower, something that is primitive, but then that’s wrong.
“When people say, I don’t want plant medicine, I want medicine that is synthesised from Europe, which is chemicals. Yeah. Orthodox. What they mean by that is that they underrate the plant. They are not confident that plant medicine is effective.
“The message of today’s gathering is that you use plants the way they are, you package it the way they are, but you guarantee that they are effective, they are efficacious and at the same time without interfering with its natural existence. That is a wonderful thing. If we do that, then we can solve most of our problems,” the Imo State University Don explained.
To promote this concept beyond academia, Professor Kenneth aims to involve relevant stakeholders such as farmers who can practice this technology themselves.
He believes in educating and empowering communities by showing them practical results rather than relying on imported products or western-centric perceptions.
In terms of sustainability, the focus is currently on training farmers directly so they can implement these practices themselves.
He also spoke on involving more end-users in order to make this approach sustainable.
“This particular conference is not just academic. That’s why we say we have a conference, but we have a workshop. The workshop is to train people with some skills on how to go back and do it. We want a simple do it yourself approach. And that’s why even in our conference, we have farmers here.
“Farmers representing farmers association in the South-East are here. And they are all here because they want to take something back and do it. So they are already the relevant stakeholders as far as I’m concerned, they are representing more than 2000 farmers. So you can imagine that 2,000 farmers begin to practice this technology. That is wonderful for us.
“My concern is reaching out to all of us. Let’s practice it. You’re a farmer, you can do backyard farming to grow some vegetables behind your house, behind your home. And that is what we want here. If everybody can grow ten to 20 percent of their food that cuts down how much you depend on the market as well.
“That also cuts down carbon emissions when you are growing, especially growing food organically and all that stuff. Now, on the aspect of academic paper, that’s why I also emphasise at the beginning in my preamble and prelude, I said, no, this is not an ordinary academic paper.
“If it were purely academic, you would have seen so much data, but all the things I’m presenting there, you can see that I have my farm. I’m showing you what I did on my farm. So you see my classroom, but you also see my farm. So I’m showing you my experiences.
“My poultry, I feed my poultry with bitter leaf, formulated seeds and all that. I feed my poultry with mushrooms from lettuce, seeds that I grew and all that. And I had only one mortality, but the other next door farm uses antibiotics and they have more than one mortality and all that.
“So I’m trying to say that we should transcend these academics by doing it. How many academics are producing biopesticides from plants and it’s being used in Nigeria? Have you come across a biopesticide that is being marketed in Nigeria, produced by Nigerians? It’s available. All the pesticides that we have, all the insecticides that we have, they are all imported.”
Other stakeholders at the event include, the state chairman of the Farmers Association of Nigeria, Enugu State, Mr Romanus Anayo who expressed gratitude to the organizers and said it serves as an eye-opener on using modern technologies in agriculture.
He noted that farmers have neglected natural resources available to them and emphasised the importance of utilising plants and vegetables to improve agricultural practices. He also suggested that the use of harmful chemicals contributes to climate change and negatively impacts human health.
He therefore urged the government to allocate funds towards innovative farming methods and encouraged support for farmers at the grassroots level.
“By the grace of God this seminar is an eye opener. A lot of things were being passed through as farmers in Nigeria while looking up to using modern technologies to do this thing. While some of the natural things God gave us are around our corner by our backside which can help us improve agriculture in different ways and we abandoned it.
“And today by this very program, this conference, at least this introduction part of it that is done now is an eye opener. Those things our forefathers were doing and they lived longer, very strong.
“So I thank God for this program that is taking us back to the roots where we can use all these natural things God gave us plants, vegetables that we can use to preserve our produce and make better earnings than ever before.
“I’m only begging the federal government let all this quantum money each year, the dollar for farming in papers and in figures, if one 10th of it can be used through this very innovation now, and it will help farmers in a long way and step it down so that those things we are looking for is around us, you just have to discover it and make use of it and will make a good ending life.
“So I thank God for this program and I wish the government should encourage farmers so that this will translate them to the grassroots for farmers to benefit.” Anayo said.
On his part, Prof I.D Choji said, “There is a need for us to revert to and include nature study in our school curricula from primary school. We need to propagate our indigenous food which are healthier and encourage consumption of indigenous food through advocacy and Publicity.”
Professor Choji added that the government should as a matter of urgency introduce phytobiotechology into university curricula.
Present at the conference were local and international delegates, researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders who discussed “Phytobiotechnology Applications in Climate Change Mitigation,” they are united in the shared goal of exploring and advancing innovative strategies to combat climate change through the application of plant-based biotechnologies
