10TH NATIONAL COUNCIL ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (NCST)

10TH NATIONAL COUNCIL ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (NCST) MEMORANDUM ON ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF NYPA-PALM (NYPA FRUTICANS) AND WEALTH CREATION IN THE NIGER DELTA BY RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT.

1.0. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this memorandum is to seek the NCST approval on utilization of Nypa Palm (Nypa Fruticans) resources for economic values.
2.0. BACKGROUND
Nypa Palm was introduced to Nigeria from Singapore between 1905 and 1912 along the coasts of Calabar and Oron in the eastern seaboard. The plant which was in Nigeria primarily to check erosion in the coastal towns of Calabar and Oron in Cross River and Akwa- Ibom States is now known to be invasive and has spread westwards through Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta States and reaching the coastal State of Ondo.
2.1 Nypa Palm is no longer checking erosion along the coast but is displacing valuable indigenous mangrove species such as rhizophora and raphia species. The mangrove ecosystem provides stability for the coastal ecosystems and therewith avoid loss of land and biological diversity.
2.2 Nypa Palm constitutes serious environmental problems. No wonder, the Federal Ministry of Environment has established Nypa Palm Control Programme aimed at controlling the spread of the invasive species and avert destruction of the mangrove ecosystem. This approach is centered at destroying Nypa Palms and rehabilitating mangrove species to ensure that the valuable indigenous mangrove species are conserved.
The extent to which this programme has been implemented is not known to us.
2.3 Asian countries such as Phillipines, Malaysia, Singapore have scientifically applied Nypa Palm resources in industrial development.
3.0 BRIEF AND BENEFITS
Rivers State and other parts of the Niger Delta have high density of Nypa Palm which is speedily displacing the mangrove ecosystem.
Trip undertaken by the State Government to Malaysia and Singapore on 28th July – 15th August, 2006 has revealed that Nypa Palm could be of immense economic value to Nigeria and the programme of its utilization could generate wealth and employment for the teaming population of this country. Nypa Palm can be tapped four years after planting and it keeps on yielding for 50 years.
Among the uses of this invasive plant, Nypa Palm are:
(i) The leaves are used for roof materials for thatched houses.
(ii) The flowers could be dried and used as tea
(iii) The plant is used for canecraft ( basket making, etc).
(iv) The inflorescence can be tapped to yield a sweet edible sap collected to produce a local alcoholic beverage which can be stored for several weeks to make vinegar.
(v) On the islands of Roti and Saru, Nypa sap is fed to pigs during the dry season This is said to im part a sweet flavour to the meat.
(vi) Nypa fruits can be eaten as delicacy.
(vii) Sugary sap from the inflorescence of the plant can be used to make wine and syrup.
(viii) Nypa produces vast amount of sugar rich sap that can be tapped and used to brew alcohol (Ethanol). The sugar rich sap is easily fermentable and the volume of ethanol obtained have been found to be twice the volume obtained from sugar cane and six times the volume from corn at the same acreage.
4.0 CONSIDERATION.
Accordingly, Council is invited to note:
(i) That Rivers State and other parts of the Niger Delta have high density of Nypa Palm.
(ii) Nypa Palm can be useful in the alcohol, food, craft, furniture, pulp and fibre, chemical and pharmaceutical industries and would create wealth and employment for the citizenry.
(iii) That alcohol (ethanol) produced from Nypa Palm would attract much foreign investments as that produced from cassava which foreign countries such as Neatherland has shown interest.
(iv) Federal Ministry of Environment has established a programme to eradicate/ destroy this very economically important plant. If this programme is allowed to be implemented the Nation would be at loss from the economic gains derivable from the plant.
5.0 APPROVAL SOUGHT.
(i). The Council should liaise with the Federal Ministry of Environment on the implementation of the Nypa Palm Control Programme which is aimed at the destruction of the plant.
(ii) The Council should institute researches on the uses of Nypa Palm in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria.
(iii) Approve the utilization of the Nypa Palm within the coastal areas of Nigeria for industrial purposes.