November 15, 2024
By Samuel Ogunsona
The Whole Planet Initiative (WPI) has embarked on an unprecedented mission to conserve rare plant species in South-West Nigeria, launching a biological garden to safeguard the region’s rich botanical heritage.
This initiative responds to the alarming threats facing plant species that have been integral to the health and livelihood of indigenous communities for centuries.
According to WPI Executive Director, Adekola Adebukola Margaret, “We are not only conserving the plants, we are also taking records of their indigenous names, uses, importance, and the environmental factors that nurture them.”
The project has already collected over 2,000 plant species, including medicinal, spiritual, and edible plants on the brink of extinction.
The Green Peoples Environmental Network (GREPNET), a member of the International Alliance of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forest (IAITPTF), has pledged technical assistance for the project. GREPNET has urged the Federal Government and South-West states to support this vital initiative, emphasizing its potential to promote sustainable development.
The biological gardens will span six South-West states and Kogi and Kwara states, serving as a comprehensive environmental resource for researchers, pharmacologists, and medical professionals worldwide.
A team of experts is working towards launching the project in the first quarter of 2025.
This initiative aligns with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) principles, recognizing the crucial role indigenous peoples play in conserving biological diversity.
As Margaret notes, “Knowledge of plants explains human understanding of natural circles, the earth, and how they are critical to preservation of natural biological resources from extinction. Nature itself defines humanity.”
The project is expected to generate thousands of jobs for young people and provide environmental training programs for the West Africa sub-region.
The largest garden, covering 28,000 square kilometers, will be located in Oyo State, bolstering tourist potential and advancing the fight against climate change.
“We are impressed with the interest this project has generated all over the world
“A lot of institutions are anxious to work with us in the conservation of plants, which is expected to be the first of its magnitude in Nigeria.” Margaret added.
