The National Agricultural Research Organization-NARO has finalized plans to introduce biodegradable hair extensions to the Ugandan market. The hair extensions are extracted from the banana stems after harvesting the banana crop.
The scientists argue that parts of the banana crop which were often disposed of or used for mulching, can offer several other products to help farmers reap more from the plant than only food.
NARO’s Product Development Officer Dr Ronald Katwaza told URN on Wednesday that scientists have been refining different products from banana fibre and resolved to soften it further into biodegradable hair extensions following previous success stories of their innovations.
Katwaza notes that their innovation was informed by the availability of market for hair extensions in every part of the country, which is largely congested by imported plastic hair extensions. He notes that the imported hair extensions are hazardous since they contain high volumes of plastic material, but the banana fibre type decompose on disposal, hence improving soil fertility and a form of manure to the farmers in need.
He further argues that since hair beautification is a basic need for women across the board, their innovation is geared towards eliminating the negative impacts of climate change resulting from excessive plastic materials in the environment, some of which are plastic hair extensions through introducing the biodegradable type.
Katwaza also notes that unlike the plastic hair extensions, the biodegradable type is compatible to all people irrespective of their skin and hair types with no cases of itching or rushes for the end users. He adds that laboratory tests have ruled out any possibility of fungal infections resulting from the application of biodegradable hair.
Katwaza further notes that they have rolled out training programs of interest farmers on best ways to earn profits from seemingly waste products from their agricultural products.
He however, says that since most farmers might lack the expertise and machinery to produce hair extensions, they can locally soak the banana stems in water for a minimum of two weeks, extract fibres, then make ropes, table and door mats respectively, as a means of profit maximization.
Meanwhile, NARO’s head of communications Frank Mugabi says that the biodegradable hair extensions have passed all the quality tests both locally and internationally, with suitability attributes for not only human use, but also as an environmentally friendly product.
Mugabi notes that they are currently scouting for both local and international investors with interest to invest in the product for mass production, which will enable local consumers to easily access these biodegradable hair extensions in the market.
-URN