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By Chinonso Alozie, Owerri

The President of Bioresources Development and Conservation Programme, Maurice Iwu, on Thursday said scientists would converge in Imo state, to discuss the cultivation and processing of medicinal plants as well as how to standardise medicinal plants to be accepted globally.

Iwu, a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, disclosed this to newsmen in Owerri, while speaking on the forthcoming October 19, 2022, Herbfest in Owerri.

According to Iwu, “In Nigeria, more than 80 per cent of the rural population uses medical herbs or indigenous systems of medicine. A comprehensive review of the African medicinal plants listed more than 2,000 plant species that are used in traditional medical practice in various parts of the continent.

“Notwithstanding this rich array of plant species Nigeria, like most other African countries, play very insignificant roles in the estimated herbal medicine global trade worth over $100 billion.”

“HerbFEST 2022 is designed to provide emerging natural products manufacturers, including herbal medicine, functional food, health and products companies as well as raw materials exporters an opportunity to showcase their innovative new products and technologies to manufacturers representatives, wholesalers, distributors, capital providers pharmaceutical industry among others.”

“The workshop will be to train participants on the technical aspects of herbal products developments, packaging or holding/handling, which constrain the ability of regional producers to export to the international market,” he said.