Speaker
Description
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is more than a vegetable; it is a climate-smart crop with untapped potential to strengthen food security, promote environmental sustainability, and improve rural livelihoods. Widely cultivated across Africa and Asia, okra thrives under heat and water stress, making it highly suitable for climate change adaptation. This work highlights how okra can contribute to more resilient food systems. Processing innovations such as solar drying, cold storage, and powdering can reduce the 25–40% post-harvest losses common in many regions, while also creating new value chains. Beyond food, okra mucilage, a natural plant-based pectin, offers several technological solutions: it functions as an emulsifier and thickener in healthy foods, a pharmaceutical excipient for drug delivery and wound healing, a biodegradable alternative to plastics in packaging, and an eco-friendly agent for purifying drinking water. Residues further close the loop by enriching soils and providing protein-rich livestock feed. By linking agriculture, health, industry, and the environment, okra embodies the principles of the circular bioeconomy. Strategic investment in research, processing infrastructure, and farmer–industry partnerships is urgently needed to unlock its full value. With such support, okra can transform livelihoods while addressing global challenges of climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable food systems.
Keywords: Okra, climate resilience, sustainability, food systems, bioeconomy