As Nigeria moves to diversify her earnings away from oil, an expert and member of the America Chemical Society, Adebola Ademilua, has said that locust beans could generate enough income for the country if necessary steps are taken by the various levels of government.
Ademilua stated that governments at all levels should enhance and modernize the production of locust beans, stressing that the country has a comparative advantage in its production.
“Locust beans is one of the crops that should be considered because Nigeria is a global leader in its production,” he said.
Ademilua, who is also a member of women in forestry of FRIN, gave the advice while speaking with journalists recently in Ibadan.
She said it was high time the country improved and invested in the production of locust beans in order to stop the importation of tocopherol, which can be gotten abundantly from locust beans.
She called on the country to focus more on quality production of locust beans so as to stop the importation of some raw material that can be locally substituted for using locust beans.
Speaking on the economic importance of locust beans, Adebola said with enough quantity of locust beans which can be substituted for imported tocopherol, it would enhance and improve Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as well as creating employment opportunities.
“To work along the value chain from production to market, one has to consider productivity and adding values,” she further said.
According to her, the government needed to support farmers in the production of the crop and also promote value addition, saying that such support will help farmers produce at a lower cost and make their product competitive.
“Lowering the production cost will ensure that the product sells at a price where one can take care of the production cost and also have good profit”.
She noted that with the proper training and improved agronomic practices now locust beans can find its way into the global market.
Ademilua, who is a chemist and medical science educator, advised the Federal Government to assist in the production of locust beans because of its added value and its use in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders like ulcer and diarrhoea.
While speaking on the health importance of locust beans, Adebola said with proper consumption, locust beans could cure hypertension, diabetics, ulcer and diahorrea.
According to her, locust beans is antibacterial, antihypertensive, antidiabetics and effective in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders like ulcer and diarrhoea.
REMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan
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