The phrase “Useful Weed” understandably sounds like a contradiction in terms, since a “weed” by definition is an unwanted plant.
However, that expression perfectly captures the revised status of a onetime notorious weed, which today has been established by farmers/agronomists and animal nutritionists as a reliable alternative source of plant protein for use in livestock feed formulation.
I mention several names of this “useful weed” (Scientific, common, and local i.e. Igbo, Yoruba etc) in the first bonus publication on my website, sent to buyers of my new AUDIO titled Useful Ideas for Low Cost Animal Feed Production Using Local Ingredients – based on Civil War Experimentation by Biafran Scientists
In that 1.5 audio narrative, I describe pioneering work done by a motivated team of Biafran scientists who narrowed down on the plant after many failed attempt with other potential sources, in their bid to find viable ways to produce animal feed locally, to grow livestock that would serve badly needed protein based meals to the Biafran masses and soldiers during the 1967 to 1970 Nigerian Civil War.
After the war ended, key figures involved in developing those innovations got absorbed into the larger Nigerian society, and their knowledge was shared with others.
But this did not happen in any systematically organized manner. Instead, most of it has be haphazard, leading to loss of what would have been invaluable Indigenous Knowledge Systems.
It is for this reason, especially given the severe feed formulation challenges facing Nigerian livestock farmers in today’s economy, that I have launched my audio product, along with the FREE bonus publications, the second of which is due to go LIVE in a few days.
But, as I explain in the bonus notes, I am not alone in talking about the massive potentials of this particular weed, which happens to grow LUXURIANTLY virtually everywhere in Nigeria, regardless of season or weather condition.
Indeed, as my extensive review of available literature/publications has revealed (and I share the URLs leading to example PDFs and WebPages in my bonus notes), modern day researchers in our own universities and outside Nigeria/Africa have also been excitedly exploring the obvious potentials of this weed – and others like it.
Beyond talking about it however, they need to challenge farmers to use the above mentioned research findings to begin making practical use of this weed, and other locally available viable alternative feed ingredients, to experiment on a new range of animal feeds – just like the Biafrans did.
Weeds are called by THAT name because they grow despite the fact that we do NOT want them and therefore refuse to NURTURE them like we do plants we consider useful.
I argue that given their ability to flourish when NOT cared for, farmers can deliberately begin to cultivate “useful weeds” they identify, on special plots of land, giving them nurturing to make them grow even better.
Why?
So as to be able to “harvest” them in the quantities required for the purposes that they have been found useful.
In other words, I believe this “useful weed” discovered by the Biafrans (and which I’ve seen university research publications confirming to be a proven alternative protein source for Poultry Layers feed preparation), can and should henceforth be deliberately cultivated for use in the various ways it has been found relevant.
Click here to read a testimonial by a buyer of my new 1.5 hour audio podcast in which I narrate the story about how Biafran scientists first discovered the animal feed making potential of this weed under war-induced pressures.
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Source: ExcelVB
