Of Plants and People: Looking Through a Medicinal Plant Biotechnology Lens

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Event Description 

South Africa has an incredible floral heritage that is characterized by high levels of species richness and endemism. Many of these plants are exploited locally as traditional medicines and the diverse ethno-cultural utilisation is thus encouraging entry of new products into global markets based on South African endemics. The integration of local knowledges into the study of medicinal plants of South Africa is important for its commercialization in the bioeconomy but this stems from a history associated with South Africa’s past. There are thus unique opportunities that are presented by interfacing various biotechnologies to study medicinal plants of South Africa. Using specific examples from medicinal plants that occur in the greater Cape Floristic Region, various studies are thus presented and summarized. Mechanisms of cooperation that lead to beneficiation of Indigenous knowledge holders is central to the development of the natural products sector in South Africa. Lessons learnt from the people-plant intersection are incorporated into this lecture.

Event Speaker
Nokwanda Makunga, Professor of Botany and Zoology at Stellenbosch University

Event Information

Free and open to the public; registration required. Contact scienceandsociety@columbia.edu with any questions. 

Part of the Co-Production of Knowledge Initiative at the Center for Science and Society. 

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