Experts X-ray Phytobiotechology as panacea to climate change, food insecurity, mental health challenges

Experts X-ray Phytobiotechology as panacea to climate change, food insecurity, mental health challenges

Joel Oladele, Abuja

Group of experts led by Professor Kenneth Anchang Yongabi, 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 the 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 composition and existential synergy.

“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 the environment. You understand these green materials, you understand the uses of these green materials, and you bring them together without changing the nature of the plants at all. You are not modifying anything like what is done in genetic engineering technology.  You are not changing any compound or transforming any isolated molecule from a plant  in a way that is not agreeable with nature or with its natural existence. That is phytobiotechology,” he said, as the author and founder of the word Phytobiotechnology in 2008, which he published in the Unesco Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS).

Professor Kenneth emphasized that everyone depends on plants for food, medicine, clothing  and Nigeria has an abundance of medicinal plants that are not being maximized, that holds true for Africa.

He believes that scientists need to properly understand and package plant medicines 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, or medicine, clothes, or what have you. So we all depend on plants. And 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 understand the phytonutrients and package this plant derived product; how to pick out, bring out the potential that are hidden in the plant that we are not seeing, and how to put it in such a way that it can give us the output. 

“To do this, we need to bring in science of valorization  to understand these plants better, proof that they are efficacious, safe and available, 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 develop plant based products without attempting to isolate single moieties,  in a way that are effective and at the same time not interfering with its natural existence. It can be a tough hat trick in science.

“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 maximizing it, because when you mention plants and plant medicines, generally in Nigeria, people would think that the connotation, the impression and the perception is insignia of primitivism , something that is primitive, but then that’s wrong. Paradoxically, this impression is carried more by the very educated, particularly many medical personnel.

“When people say, I don’t want plant medicine; I want medicine that is synthesized from Europe, which is chemicals. Yes,. Orthodox. What they mean by that is that they underrate the potential of plant derived products. They are not confident that plant medicine is effective. Evidently, the production of plant derived medicine is more climate friendly than synthetic derived drugs.  

“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, safe and that  they are efficacious and at the same time without interfering with its natural existence defines Yongabi’s Phytobiotechnology concept.  That is a wonderful thing. If we do that, then we can solve most of our problems.” The Imo State University Don opined.

To promote this concept beyond academia, Professor Yongabi aims to involve relevant stakeholders such as farmers and medical professional 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 to boost food production in Nigeria. He also spoke on involving more end-users in order to make this approach sustainable.

“This particular conference is not just academic anthology but a taste of andragogy.  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 (AFAAN) 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 2000 farmers begin to practice this technology. That is wonderful for Nigeria. 

“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% 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 emphasize 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, graphs and statistical derived curves, but that’s not solving our core challenges at the moment,  but all the things I’m presenting there, you can see that I have my ground experiences on the field . I’m showing you what I did on my farm. So you see my  farm is  my classroom. So I’m showing you my experiences. For instance, in  my poultry, I feed my chickens with bitter leaf and mushrooms, formulated sporophores  and all that. I feed my poultry with mushroom and pulverized lettuce, seeds and pulses,  that I grew and all that. And I had less mortality than using antibiotic growth promoters.

“So I’m trying to say that we should transcend these academics by doing it. How many academics are producing biopesticides from plants in large scale  and it’s being used in Nigeria? Have you come across a biopesticide that is being marketed in Nigeria, produced by Nigerians? From plants from Nigeria ecosphere? All the pesticides that we have on the market, all the insecticides that we have, they are all imported.”

On mental health, Professor Kenneth said “Increased flooding and temperatures are affecting crop production and yield across Africa, causing Eco anxiety.” Noting that; “Phytobiotechnology interventions have the potential to prevent Eco anxiety and depression.”

Professor Yongabi currently serves as the Regional Community Convenor for connecting Climate minds Sub Saharan Africa in collaboration with the Global Health Innovation Institute at Imperial College London.

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 emphasized the importance of utilizing

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 even 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 government should encourage farmers so that this will translate them to the grassroots for farmers to benefit.” Anayo said.

Also speaking amongst other experts from  Mexico, Nigeria, India, Uganda, Cameroon, and Economic attache to the Mexican Embassy, Abuja, Dr Polycarp said researchers, entrepreneurs and policymakers must find a common ground in combating climate change.

“Put a stop to the importation of foreign models to solve local problems. However, any exported knowledge or model must agree with local realities.

“Researchers, entrepreneurs and policymakers must find a common ground to apply research in our higher institutions of learning.

“Our locals from primary schools must be taught rural science using local resources. Researchers must work with locals so as to make informed decisions. That is, there must be a shared understanding of local realities in relation to climate change and approaches to mitigate it,” he noted.

On his part, a professor from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Jos, 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.