Edet Ikotidem
Hidden treasures that offer tremendous opportunity to fight hunger, climate change, poverty and malnutrition were unearthed during the 113th Inaugural lecture at the University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State.
The lecture was delivered by Professor Edak Aniedi Uyoh, the first to be delivered from the Department of Genetics and Biotechnology.
Prof Uyoh, the premier Head of the Department was speaking on the topic, Rediscovering our hidden treasures: the plant breeders’ quandary.
Tremendous Opportunity to Fight Hunger
According to her, for centuries, Africans and indeed Nigerians were cultivating and consuming a wide variety of nutritious and delicious, mostly indigenous foods.
She said recent generations have slowly but steadily moved away from the traditional foods to modernized diets many of which are largely junk foods, processed foods or fast foods which the lecturer opined are relatively unhealthy.
Opportunity to Fight Hunger
The inaugural lecturer stated that the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations has over the years been trying to revive the production and consumption of neglected and underutilized species which is in line with it’s role of providing support to member countries, to meet the target for global food security.
Prof Uyoh maintained that loss of Biodiversity has been of global concern since man discovered its implications in the course of food security and economic development.
According to the don, some neglected and underutilized species have been lost completely while others are on the verge of extinction mostly because they are ignored and nobody takes responsibility for their well-being.
The lecturer pointed out that Neglected and Underutilized species are an important component of the Africa food basket and their continual development which can help in ensuring food security, help to close nutrition gaps and offer food security and nutrition.
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Other benefits of neglected and underutilized species include adding value in terms of micronutrients, fibre and cheap protein to the diet, reduction in the risk of over-reliance on limited number of staple crops while the sustainability of Agriculture will be increased by reduction of inputs.
She stated that increased cultivation and utilization of such under-utilized species as aerial yam, African Yam Bean, cocoyam, African bread fruit, Kersting groundnut, Bambara nuts, indigenous spices among others offer a sustainable remedy to malnutrition and improved health.
Prof Uyoh called for increased participation of researchers, educators, policy makers, farming communities and the private sector as key to achieving success in that regard.
The lecturer also made a case for proper documentation and show-casing of all the Neglected underutilized species along with indigenous knowledge on their uses, propagation methods, growth characteristics, nutritional values, variability and adaptations to a biotic stresses.
Professor Uyoh who hails from Nkim Itam, in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom suggested that government including Universities authority should encourage the establishment of a standard ex-situ and in-situ conservation gene banks of available germplasm by earmarking land, buildings and funds for the project.
