Two Ugandan scientists are on a mission to transform city homes into greener, healthier spaces. Plants are multi-talents – they’re a food source, an air filter, an insect repellent, home pharmacy, even a security system!
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00:00For Maureen Atugonza and Paul Oreshaba, Entebbe National Botanical Gardens is a prime resource.
00:12Featuring tropical forests and 500 indigenous and exotic plant species, it is Uganda's
00:18oldest botanical research facility.
00:21If you're interested in finding which plant is suited for what place, so it is also important
00:28to identify or observe which plant attracts which insect or which pest.
00:35The ethnobotanist and the nutritionist work together to offer people advice on what plants
00:41will thrive in the prevailing climate conditions, and about the health and nutritional benefits
00:48of certain plants, as well as their role in improving air quality.
00:53Today they are visiting communications consultant Maureen Agena in Npoma, 40 kilometres east
01:00of Kampala.
01:02Her garden includes eucalyptus trees, palms and cacti.
01:06If someone tried to jump over here and stepped on any of the thorns, it's like poison.
01:12And the lemon scent of the eucalyptus trees keeps mosquitoes at bay.
01:17The house is cool, thanks to shade from the many trees.
01:22Maureen Agena wants to learn which herbs and plants have health-boosting properties.
01:27I brought you chocolate mint, thyme and oregano are both amazing anti-microbial.
01:37So that is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal.
01:41The nutritionist knows a lot about medicinal plants.
01:45On her own farm in Rukwanga, just north of Kampala, she cultivates for example the vitamin-rich
01:51life plant, which helps wounds heal faster.
01:55Chamomile too is under-demanding and a useful home remedy.
01:59And yarrow, she says, is a great herb for women.
02:04That week before your period, this is the best herb for you because it deals with the
02:09bloating which you first seen that week.
02:12It handles the headaches which we also experienced in that week.
02:16It's amazing for menstrual cramps and it doesn't stop on menstrual cramps.
02:20It also deals if you have heavy menstrual bleeding.
02:24Kampala's Makerere University houses another great resource.
02:28Its herbarium is full to the brim with information about plants and their properties.
02:34Thousands of species have been archived here over the last century.
02:39Many are now rare, particularly in cities.
02:42That's a development that needs addressing.
02:45Because trees, say experts, are the answer when it comes to solving some key issues.
02:51The air around Kampala is said to be bad air.
02:54But if we had more trees, then they will help us to clean that air.
02:59So we are having a challenge that we are removing trees and other plants
03:06and instead putting their concrete buildings,
03:09which also increase the heat in our environment
03:14because when the sun hits them, then it reflects and doesn't absorb that heat.
03:20In response, various initiatives in Kampala have set up urban gardens on roofs and in backyards.
03:26As well as keeping out the heat, these encourage people to grow their own herbs
03:31and importantly, their own vegetables.
03:34But the capital needs far more of them.
03:37Greenspots are few and far between.
03:41There's more on the outskirts, and it's essential to preserve it, says Maureen Agena.
03:46She continually learns new things about her plants
03:50and was delighted about one recent discovery.
03:55I had a tag, a skin tag, those dark dots that swell.
04:01And I read that this pencil plant could remove them.
04:04So I would break and then use this sap.
04:07I would just place it on this pot, morning, evening.
04:10After three days, the tag fell off.
04:13It just fell off like that.
04:15Oh, you don't know how. I could throw a party.
04:20Ethnobotanist Paul believes that such moments of wonder
04:24can also encourage city dwellers to appreciate nature again.
04:30That is your pharmacy.
04:32A pharmacy in the kitchen, a pharmacy in the backyard.
04:35So it is food, it is for defense, then it is cooling the environment,
04:39it is making it beautiful.
04:41The team is convinced that by helping people to get to know plants better,
04:46the more they will appreciate and protect them.