ANNOUNCEMENTS
AFRICAN BOTANICA CONFERENCE
The First International Symposium titled The Contributions of African Botanica to Humanity was held October 2-5, 2006 in the Novotel Hotel in Conakry, Guinea. This first scientific conference on African botanicals brought together researchers and professionals interested in the use of indigenous African plants that could serve as ‘Food and Nutrition’ and as ‘Medicinal Bioactive Agents.’
The conference was attended by over 150 attendees that included the organizing committee, visiting keynote speakers, registrants, students, and visiting government dignitaries. Attendees represented Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, and Nigeria, as well as from Belgium, France, and Holland, California, Massachusetts, Texas, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec.
Dr. Patrick Van Damme, Laboratory for Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture and Ethnobotany, Ghent University, Belgium presented the first keynote address titled From African Ethnobotanical Biodiversity to Domestication of New Crops for Development. A second key paper was presented by Dr. Dozie Ezigbalike of the Economic Commission for Africa (UN), Ethiopia titled Customary Land Tenure Concepts and Issues in Africa.
Discussions related to future collaboration led to the formation of a working committee to examine The Role of Nutrition for AIDS. To be chaired by Dr. Nianga Malo, the committee will consist of scientists from each African country represented at the conference, and draw from their combined expertise to more clearly define the role of nutrition in the treatment of HIV/AIDS.
The conference was officially opened by the Honorable Minister Dr. Ahmed Tidiane Souare, Ministeï€?re de l’Eseignement Pre-Universitaire et de l’Education Civique. Co-chairs were Dr. Nianga Nicephore Malo, the Rector and President of UDECOM (Universite pour le Developpement Communautaire) in Guinea, and Dr. Kenneth E. Keirstead, the Director of Le Groupe Lyceum and Executive Vice President of UDECOM. Scientific direction was provided by Dr. Lyle E. Craker of the University of Massachusetts and the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS).
Conference logistics were managed by Ms. Fatoumata Dabo of Le Groupe Lyceum in Conakry.
On the first evening of the conference, attendees gathered at the Le Rocher Hotel and Restaurant for the inauguration of Dr. Hans Stegmann Keirstead, Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of California, Irvine as the first Vice Chancellor of UDECOM. This novel event featured professors and board members of UDECOM wearing traditional gowns representing the Forest Region of Guinea, where the university is located. The Mayor of N’Zerekore, His Worship Mr. Cece Loua attended the ceremony, and bestowed on Dr. Keirstead an “Honorary Citizenship” and the keys of N’Zerekore.
On the last day of the meeting, 60 participants took the opportunity to participate in a guided tour to the island of Tamara, the furthest of the Loos Island archipelago located nine kilometers offshore from the city of Conakry. Following a nine kilometer walk along the spine of the island to view the natural habitat, flora restoration programs and points of interest, participants enjoyed lunch and entertainment organized by the local Community Development Organization (CDO). This first “packaged” tour to the unspoiled island served to demonstrate to the local people the economic benefits of eco-tourism.
The proceedings of the conference will be featured in an edition of Acta Horticulturae to be published by the ISHS early in the New Year.
The sponsors for this noteworthy meeting were the ISHS, UDECOM, IntelliPharmaCeutics, Le Groupe Lyceum, and USAID.
November 3, 2006