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Hilary Benn's diary February 2009

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn wrote this diary during his trip to Kenya and Antarctica. He attended the Governing Council of the United Nations Environmental Programme in Nairobi and visited a number of schemes and projects; he then went to Antarctica to look at climate change research there.

Wednesday 18 February 2009

hilary benn and artemisia plantsI didn’t get to plant a tree today because we wererunning late. But I did get to see an artemisia plant that’s helping to fight malaria. Because mosquitoes have become increasingly immune to the first generation of anti-malarial drugs, scientists had been searching for new formulations. They discovered that artemesinin, used in combination, was really effective and so, suddenly, the hunt was on for as many artemisia plants as possible. Having heard so much about it, I was surprised by how slender the plant was, with fine stems and even finer leaves. But it is also a mighty plant that is helping to save lives.

I learned all of this – and a lot more – on a visit to the World Agroforestry Centre in Nairobi. The staff there really brought home to me just how valuable our trees, and plants and biodiversity are. As well as locking up carbon, providing us with food, fuel and shade, and being a handy building material, new uses are being discovered all the time. The seeds from the Allanblackia tree (yes, you guessed it, the man who first identified the species was one Allan Black) can be used to make an oil that is low in fats and high in other things that are good for us. And then there’s Prunus Africana which is being cut down at an alarming rate because we want the special properties of the bark to help with prostate treatment. Let’s hope someone gets planting them.

laboratoryEarlier in the day at the UNEP conference we had been discussing what we’ll need to do to grow enough food to feed a growing population. I said it’s a case of more and better research, access to fertilisers and capital for farmers, better storage and transport (so food doesn’t rot before anyone can eat it) and, crucially, markets that will help farmers to make a decent living. It’s a lot easier said than done, but all the organisations I met today – as well as the Agroforestry Centre, I visited the International Livestock Research Institute and AGRA (the Alliance for the Green Revolution in Africa) – are really up for making a difference. And perhaps, next time I’m here I can contribute directly by planting a tree. I think I’ll go for a Meru Oak. The seed is edible (in extremis), and it’s good for firewood, panelling and veneer. And it fights climate change. How’s that for sustainability?

Hilary Benn

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Page last modified: 21 February 2009
Page published: 19 February 2009