Professor Otang Mbeng, who teaches undergraduate modules in plant sciences and supervises masters' and doctorate students, is a committed Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) researcher who specialises in medicinal plants. His research requires him to go to indigenous communities and carry out ethnobotanical surveys where he interviews and interacts with indigenous knowledge holders to get their expertise and perspectives on how they use indigenous medicinal plants to treat common illnesses.
“Based on the information received, we collect medicinal plants from indigenous communities and take them to the laboratory. In the lab we do scientific validation of the plants; we then test these plants against pathogens which are implicated in human diseases to find out which plants are active.
Our next interest is to isolate the phytochemical compounds which are inherent in the plants. If we succeed, we then do psychotoxicity acids to make sure that in as much as the plants are medicinal, they are not harmful to humans.”
His research was aimed at improving the supply of raw materials such as agave and sisal for the factory, increasing the level of agricultural and engineering technology inputs, and providing a processing facility for the SMME market sector, in close proximity to raw materials.
He explains that the community-based research was aimed at understanding the indigenous knowledge associated with marula in Nkomazi community, as well as generating new information about the quality and quantity of marula fruit produced in the study area.
“This information was necessary to determine whether the quantity of marula fruit produced will be sufficient to sustain a marula factory that was constructed by our research consortium. The study revealed that there is a decline in the population of marula in Nkomazi Local Municipality (NLM) due to both anthropogenic and natural factors. Therefore, there is a need to initiate marula planting projects in Nkomazi to ensure sustainability."
Professor Otang Mbeng notess that research in South Africa requires the development of sustainable and relevant businesses with expanded value chains which can create employment and increase income at corporate and household levels.
“Phepisa Natural Resources Institute in Nkomazi had previously developed two personal care products: ‘Gwenge' (an extract from the agave plant) and 'Nganu' (oil from marula). However, the limited supply of raw materials and the lack of an extraction facility to produce the ingredients severely inhibited Phepisa's production potential.”
Professor Otang Mbeng considers engagement as an educational and research initiative.
Engagement for the greater good
Professor Otang Mbeng’s research has culminated in 45 published articles in peer-reviewed journals, four book chapters, 11 international and 30 local conference presentations, a Google Scholar i10-index of 22, 804 citations and the prestigious Faculty Researcher of the Year Award in 2020, and the Engagement Excellence Award in 2022.
“My highlight of doing this research is that under the auspices of the Nkomazi agri-processing project, a marula processing facility was completed in 2022. The main designs of the facility include basic equipment for the storage of plants, cleaning of raw materials, good ventilation, water and electricity supplies.”
Good relationships were formed between Professor Otang Mbeng and members of the Nkomazi community, OR Tambo District in Mpumalanga and Eastern Cape provinces, who respectively provided strong support for the extension of knowledge through his indigenous knowledge research projects.
“The community members hosted and mentored five research students from UMP undertaking research on indigenous plants such as marula and sisal. The acquisition of research funds from the DSI and NRF in 2021 enabled my postgraduate students to contribute their skills to the community and also learn from the mentorship activities of the community's businesses and professional organisations.”
Professor Otang Mbeng considers engagement as an educational and research initiative carried out through some form of partnership and characterised by shared goals, a shared agenda with agreed-upon definitions of success that are meaningful to both the university and community participants.
“My engagement goal is to work cooperatively to develop excellent university-community collaborations that are grounded in rigour and geared to enhance the competency and capacity of all parties. This means that any form of engaged research, teaching, and learning should yield knowledge, results and products that benefit both academics and the public interest.
This shifts higher education's function from a passive generator of knowledge to an active participant in collaborative activities with various and immediate advantages for a wide range of stakeholders."
@ Story by Cleopatra Makhaga. Pictures supplied.