Edo, Paxherbal Clinic To Collaborate On Agriculture

Edo State Government is set to partner PaxHerbal Clinic and Research Laboratory, Ewu to create agricpreneurs.

The deal will include the modalities for putting resources together for farmers to take advantages of. The two parties described the partnership as a rare opportunity for farmers.

The areas of interest will include cultivating ginger, lemon grass, tomato and other herbal plants.

Governor Godwin Obaseki made this known while receiving a delegation of the clinic, led by its Director, Rev. Fr. Anselm Adodo at the Government House in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

Obaseki said although the state had come up with various agricbusiness models, his administration was interested in the PaxHerbal Clinic and Research Laboratory’s initiative because, “they seem to have adopted a different and appealing model.”

Obaseki: “Our administration has taken another view, departing from treating agriculture like a social course, but like a business, assisting people to ensure they participate meaningfully and make profit from it. We go into business for profitability; otherwise, we can’t sustain it.”

The governor said the state wants to employ other models that have worked in other parts of the world, including leaning towards large-scale commercial farming.

Obaseki said his administration was examining the PaxHerbal Clinic and Research ‘s method of using organic materials for cultivation, and that his administration would like to collaborate with the group in human capacity development.

Rev. Fr. Adodo said the group was ready to work with the government in strategic poverty and unemployment eradication policies, adding that his organisation is capable of assisting the government to create job opportunities in the state.

According to him, it is a shame that Nigerians import and consume tons of ginger tea, lemon grass tea, and other herbal teas when Edo state alone can cultivate enough ginger and tomato to feed the world.

“With your support, the first approved herbal malaria drugs can come from Edo State. We invite you to visit our facility and see what we are doing,” he said.

Obaseki praised the group for its progress over the years in herbal medicine, saying that he was impressed with the achievements made so far, and promising to visit them to see things for himself.

“I will come and visit. I promise and I will do it within the next few weeks so that we can come and see for ourselves what you are doing,” he said.

Rev. Fr. Adodo said the centre was founded over 20 years ago as a Catholic Church centre for scientific cultivation, identification, utilisation and promotion of the country’s medicinal plants.

He said the clinic is one of the few herbal manufacturing companies left in Nigeria that i s producing its herbal medicine, despite the harsh economic climate, which supports the importer more than the manufacturer.

He, however, noted that the company cultivates its herbs using the indigenous and community farmers.

Credit: The Nation