Agrotechnology

Nigerian plant resources; an incredible responsibility for alleviating food insecurity and malnutrition

10^th International Conference on AGRICULTURE & HORTICULTURE

October 02-04, 2017 London, UK

Olamide Falusi

Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Agrotechnology

Abstract:

Food insecurity and malnutrition is a sincere concern in Africa and other parts of the world impacting heavily on health, socio-economy and well-being of the population. Plant resources of a region represent heritable materials, which are of economic, scientific or societal value to humankind. They form an integral part of a huge inter-dependent system that encompasses the physical components and the biological community of life. Nigeria is a physically and climatically diverse country that is endowed with substantial amount of plant resources. There are about 7,895 indigenous plant species from over 338 families and 2,215 genera that have been identified in the country with a few them demonstrating potential in alleviating food security, hunger and malnutrition. Both the physical and the climatic diversity of Nigeria permit the growth of a wide variety of such plants. This paper discusses those plant resources in Nigeria as natureâ??s incredible generosity with potential in alleviating food security, hunger and malnutrition. It also highlights the responsibility of harnessing them for future development and food security and safety.

Biography :

Falusi Olamide has his expertise in Applied Plant genetic and Breeding. He has been involved in germplasm collection of many economic crops in Nigeria and has provided the backbone information and materials required in their improvement for better productivity. He also has passion in the study of plant chromosomes to reveal genomic identities and inheritance patterns.