Weeds Have Lots Of Medicinal, Health Benefits-Don

A Professor of Crop Production, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof. Apele Graham Iyagba has stated that weeds have lots of nutritional and health benefits.
Iyagba stated this recently, while delivering the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) 46th Inaugural Lecture, titled: ‘Waste But Not A Waste And Its Impact On National Food Security’, at the University Auditorium Complex, Port Harcourt.
Iyagba stated that weeds have lots of biological, nutritional and health benefits that help mankind, stressing that there were lots of accusations made against weeds as causing damage to the land, environment and health of the people.
The professor argued that weeds also have their positive side that should be considered, while advising that people should practice organic agriculture when planting their crops, as well discouraging the use of synthetic chemicals that are dangerous to human health.
Iyagba regretted that there was lower awareness on organic agriculture as well as food security, noting that everyone has a role to play by starting first, to create needed awareness at home and among students that study agriculture on the need for all to use organic materials when planting crops instead of synthetic chemicals.
He added that although sometimes,  weeds interfere with human activities, there is also the positive impact of weeds, hence the need to concentrate more on the positive than their negative impacts.
He explained that there is a relationship between waste, weed and food security, saying: “If you have eaten Achara Soup, Waterleaf soup, then Mr Weed is asking ‘ Where Are My Accusers?”
Weeds are useful in biological and medicinal functions; and have food values. Water leaf as a case study, helps in mulching, which increases crop yields, organic matter of the soil, potentially minimising water runoff, improving infiltration capacity of the soil, among others”, the Prof said.
Prof Iyagba recommended that state and federal governments depolitise agriculture by continuing the agrarian policies established, irrespective of the party in power, adding that this follows the United Nations Global hunger predictions that hunger will be more eminent in the next few years and Nigeria will be a casualty.
He further recommended that the state and federal governments should as a matter of urgency declare a state of emergency on agriculture, so that all could embrace it the more, especially students that study Agriculture from the various tertiary institutions.
On his part, the Vice Chancellor, IAUE, Prof Okechuku Onuchuku, stated that looking at the topic, shows that waste can also be converted to something useful, saying: “One way to go is to ensure that some of these things we call waste , should not just be thrown away like that, because they are very useful.
“Organic farming is very good to health. I would want farmers to do more of organic farming instead of going into subsistent farming, it should be mechanised farming, that boosts the country’s economy,” he said.

By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana