Moringa Oleifera a miracle for rural communities in developing countries?

Why Moringa Oleifera?

Imagine a tree in your backyard that will meet all your nutritional needs, take care of you medicinally, and purify your water for you. This tree actually exists (Nat ralNe!s"# The ancient traditional medicine of India called ayurveda says the leaves of the Moringa tree prevent !! diseases. Modern science is confirming that these leaves could help prevent untold suffering and death caused by malnutrition and related diseases. ($rees for %ife"

Nutrition
Nearl& all parts of the Moringa tree ha'e a high degree of n tritional 'al e# $ogether( the edible parts of the tree contain high amo nts of the ) *essential amino acids+ that &o bod& does not prod ce b t m st be replenished dail&# ,artic lar attention has been dra!n to the lea'es of the tree# -elo! &o can see the n tritional content of fresh lea'es compared gram-to-gram to other foods.

/o rce. $rees for %ife

0o!e'er( the n tritional content of the lea'es 'aries significantl& depending on !hether the& are cons med dr& or fresh( meaning that &o get additional benefits if &o cons me both# Gram-for-gram dried lea'es meas re p against other foods as follo!s.

10x the Vitamin A of carrots 0.5x the vitamin C of oranges 17x the Calcium of Milk 15x the potassium of Bananas 5x the iron of spinach !x the protein of "oghurt

Christopher Alford - MaD Making a Difference for Good Cambodia - 2010

1n top of this both the flo!ers and the pods2seeds are highl& n tritio s# $he immat re pods( !hich can be eaten ra! or cooked like green beans( contain all the essential amino

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acids and are also high in fiber and man& other 'itamins and n trients# 3hen eaten ra!( it has also been said that the& act as an effecti'e de-!ormer and can treat li'er and spleen problems (altho gh this has &et to be scientificall& pro'en"# $he seeds ha'e been sed in traditional medicines for their antibiotic and anti-inflammator& properties# $he flo!ers (!hich m ch be cooked"( are rich in both calci m and potassi m# $raditionall&( the& ha'e been boiled in teas !hich can be sed to both treat colds and also to increase the flo! of a mother4s breast milk# All of these n trients make Moringa an e5ceedingl& po!erf l tool in fighting both maln trition and pre'enting disease# 6t is of partic lar benefit to pregnant !omen and infants# 1ne st d& fo nd that children cons ming leaf po!der increased their !eight and their o'erall health( !hilst pregnant !omen sing the po!der reco'ered from anemia and had babies !ith higher birth !eights# /t dies are no! e5amining the possibilit& of sing Moringa to fight the spread of 0672Aids and to impro'e the health of 067 infected people( and ha'e &ielded promising res lts# /o rces 8 f rther reading on the n tritional 'al e of Moringa. ;eso Moringa 1leifera book b& $rees for %ife ,resentation on Moringa b& $rees for %ife Moringa 1leifera. $he Miracle $ree Nat ralNe!s $he Moringa $ree. A local sol tion to maln trition9 %o!ell : glie N tritional 7al es of Moringa %ea'es 8 ,ods Dolcas -iotec Moringa 1leifera. M ltip rpose $ree Garden1rganic Can Moringa change the face of A6D/9 rces on the preparation of Moringa lea'es2pods2flo!ers. Moringa $ree of %ife preparation g idelines Miracle $rees4 Moringa recipes Making Moringa leaf po!der Miracle $rees Moringa lea'es and pods preparation ill strated g ide Moringa lea'es preparation ill strated g ide Moringa ;ecipes - <C01 Moringa %eaf broch re -ab& form las enriched b& Moringa

Cultivation
Moringa 1leifera is an ideal plant to promote at the ho sehold le'el beca se it is e5tremel& resilient to harsh gro!ing en'ironments( incl ding dro ght( poor soil = alit& and man& pests and diseases# $he& are also 'er& fast gro!ing( !ith normal gro!th ranging from >-? meters per &ear if left nc t# 6t is one of the fasted gro!ing biomasses on the planet if thoro ghl& no rished and can gro! p to @ meters a &ear# : rthermore( in !arm climates the trees are e'ergreen if the& are kept !ell no rished and can therefore contin e to pro'ide poor families !ith access to food e'en in times !hen other food is scarce# $he Moringa tree gro!s best in temperat res bet!een 2?->?Ac( b t can tolerate heat p to B)Ac in the shade# 6t prefers a !ell-drained sand&-loam or loam soil( b t tolerates cla& as !ell# 0o!e'er( &o ng saplings do not tolerate flooding and poor drainage !ell( so

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preca tions sho ld be taken !hen gro!ing &o ng Moringa trees in tropical climates !ith prolonged monsoon seasons# Moringa trees can be gro!n b& planting seeds directl& into the gro nd( b& gro!ing them in a n rser& and then transplanting them or b& gro!ing them from a c tting# 3hen transplanting the saplings( partic lar care sho ld be taken !ith the roots as the saplings can = ickl& !ither and potentiall& die if the soil aro nd their roots in dist rbed# 6f a'ailable( Moringa trees sho ld be planted !ith compost as this has been sho!n to increase &ields b& p to >5# 6t is also ad'isable to p t a fence aro nd &o ng Moringa trees( as li'estock find the lea'es 'er& tast& and can = ickl& destro& a &o ng tree if it is not protected# 3hen Moringa trees are c lti'ated for food prod ction the& need to be reg larl& pr ned in order to ens re a b sh&( rather than pright gro!th !hich !ill prod ce more lea'es2flo!ers2pods !ithin easier reach as a res lt# 3hen a Moringa tree stops bearing pods2flo!ers these branches also need to be c t back in order to restart the gro!th process# $hese c ttings can also be sed to gro! ne! Moringa trees# Moringa lea'es can be har'ested ro ghl& one &ear after planting# ,ods and flo!ers tend to be prod ced in the second &ear of gro!th and the tree !ill contin e to bear them for se'eral &ears# /o rces 8 f rther reading on the c lti'ation of Moringa trees. Gro!ing Moringa for personal se Moringa :arms / ggested C lt ral ,ractices for Moringa A7;DC C lti'ation of Moringa 1leifera %eicester Cni'ersit& 0o! to Gro! Moringa 1leifera - $rees for %ife Gro!ing Moringa Miracle $rees g ide ,lanting Moringa 1leifera - Moringa /eeds g ide 6ll strated g ide on c lti'ation 8 pr ning of Moringa Moringa Ne!s C lti'ation 8 har'esting of Moringa lea'es Moringa Ne!s 6ll strated g ide on gro!ing and har'esting Moringa lea'es Moringa Ne!s <-ho! gro!ing g ide

Purifying Water
3hen cr shed into a po!der( the seeds from Moringa trees act as a nat ral flocc lent !hich can be sed to p rif& dirt& !ater( eliminating bet!een D0-DDE of bacteria# $he po!der Foins to the solids in the !ater and sinks to the bottom (see photos belo!"# $he resid e (seed cake" left o'er from making -en 1il from the seeds (see belo!" can be sed in the same !a&# $he sl dge left o'er from the !ater after treatment can also be sed as a bio-fertiliGer2bio-compost !hich has been sho!n to increase &ields of other staple food crops# $his therefore presents an e5cellent c&cle for the seeds !hich can be sed b& r ral comm nities. firstl& sing the seeds to make -en 1il (!hich can be sold on"H then sing the seed cake from the oil e5traction process to p rif& !ater and then finall& sing the sl dge left o'er from the !ater p rification process as a bio-fertiliGer for other crops#

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Water purification using Moringa seeds:

#ig 1. $irt" %ater

/o rce. Miracle $rees

#ig . $irt sinks to &ottom #ig '. Cleane( %ater after 1 hour

/o rces and f rther reading on p rif&ing !ater sing Moringa seeds. *I enching the thirst of millions in the third !orld application of processed Moringa 1leifera seeds in drinking !ater treatment+ / le&man M &ibi Moringa 1leifera. M ltip rpose $ree Garden1rganic , rif&ing !ater sing Moringa 1leifera Miracle $rees Moringa 1leifera 3ater , rification - $rees for %ife 3ater clarification sing Moringa 1leifera Gate $he se of Moringa 1leifera seed as a nat ral coag lant for !ater 8 !aste!ater treatment / therland 8 :olkard G ide on ho! to make a Moringa bio-sand filter 8 ho! to prepare seeds for the diaphragm :lo!man 6ll strated diagram of !ater p rification Moringa Ne!s Moringa /eeds 8 , mice as alternati'e nat ral materials for drinking !ater treatment J$0 0o! to p rif& !ater sing Moringa seeds - 0o!topedia

Animal fodder & crop fertili er

Moringa lea'es can also be sed 'er& effecti'el& as an animal feed# 1ne st d& fo nd that after gi'ing milk co!s a contin ed diet of Moringa lea'es their dail& !eight gain increased b& p to >2E and their milk prod ction !ent p from B>-K?E# 3hen har'esting Moringa lea'es( the lefto'er stalks can be fed to li'estock !ith similar benefits# : rthermore( another st d& has fo nd b& e5tracting the F ice from the green matter of the plants( mi5ing it !ith !ater and then spra&ing it onto other crops( it increased the gro!th of &o ng plantsH prod ced more fr it and larger fr it on other plants and increased &ields in some crops b& 20->?E# /o rces 8 f rther reading. *<ffects of feeding different le'els of foliage of Moringa 1leifera to creole dair& co!sL+ /ancheG( /porndl& 8 %edin ,resentation on Moringa b& $rees for %ife

!nterprise "evelopment #en Oil

$he seeds of Moringa &ield a >)-B0E edible oil kno!n as -en 1il# $his oil is relati'el& eas& to e5tract sing simple ho sehold technolog& and can be sed2sold for a h ge 'ariet& of ses. cooking (it is colorless( odorless and resists rancidit&"( cosmetics (it has properties !hich are 'er& no rishing for the skin"( perf mes( massages( aromatherap&( oiling machiner&( making soap and it has e'en been spec lated that it co ld be sed as a biof el# 6t is one of the most stable oils in nat re and does not go rancid( ha'ing a shelf
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life of p to ? &ears# $herefore( e5tracting -en 1il from Moringa seeds has a lot of potential commerciall& for comm nities in de'eloping co ntries# $here is alread& an increasing demand for Moringa oil in the !est( !here it is recogniGed as a l 5 r& aromatherap& oil# ;eso rces. Moringa 1il e5traction $rees for life *I enching the thirst of millions in the third !orld application of processed Moringa 1leifera seeds in drinking !ater treatment+ / le&man M &ibi Moringa 1il $earf nd Commercial opport nities 8 constraints of Moringa 1leifera / therland -en oil information 8 e5traction Miracle $rees -en 1il - 3ikipedia Moringa 1il

Medicinal uses
7ario s parts of the Moringa tree ha'e been sed as traditional medicines to treat a !ide 'ariet& of ailments in Asia and Africa# 6t is said that the 'ario s parts of the Moringa tree can effecti'el& treat ailments s ch as. headaches( !orms( diarrhoea( stomach lcers( skin conditions( anemia( infections( fe'ers( rinar& problems( li'er and spleen problems( arthritis and rhe matism# 0o!e'er( one sho ld be ca tio s !hen promoting Moringa for this p rpose at this point in time as these traditional remedies ha'e &et to scientificall& pro'en# $his is especiall& important for remedies relating to the se of Moringa roots( !hich can be highl& to5ic if not prepared correctl&# Ne'ertheless( &o can read abo t traditional remedies that the tree has been sed for in the follo!ing links. http.22!!!#miracletrees#org2$raditionalMedicine#html http.22!!!>#interscience#!ile&#com2cgi-bin2f llte5t211>B?>1B>2,D:/$A;$

$nterested in Moringa? %hen read a&out Amaranth'

Amaranth grain has also been hailed as a ke& crop in the fight against h nger and maln trition in de'eloping co ntries# /imilar to Moringa trees( these crops ha'e been highlighted for their e5ceedingl& high n tritional 'al e( their abilit& to gro! in harsh gro!ing en'ironments and their s itabilit& for ho sehold2smallholder farming in the third !orld# : rthermore( one st d& has fo nd that Amaranth and Moringa complement each other n tritionall& 'er& !ell# -elo! are some reso rces on Amaranth. Amaranth. the sol tion to the !orld4s h nger( maln trition( po'ert& 8 disease Amaranth. the ideal crop to add to small famer4s pol&c lt re in de'eloping nations9 Amaranth farming. r ral s stainable li'elihood of the f t re9 :rom !eed crop to cash crop. Amaranth Amaranth. the grain of the f t re

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