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1
The advantages of
using Moringa in malnutrition prevention
programs
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License Moringa Oleifera By Lowell J.
Fuglie
The many additional benefits of Moringa 1. Moringa’s leaves, flowers, bark, wood and roots are used worldwide for a large variety of medicinal
purposes. But there are also many other uses for the tree. Among
these:
2. Alley cropping : With their
rapid growth, long taproot, few lateral roots, minimal shade and large
production of high-protein biomass, Moringa trees are well-suited for use
in alley cropping systems.
3. Biogas : Moringa leaves
provide an excellent material for production of
biogas.
4. Dye : The wood yields a blue
dye which was used in Jamaica and in Senegal.
5. Fencing : A common use of
Moringa trees is as a living support for fencing around gardens and
yards.
6. Foliar nutrient : Juice
extracted from the leaves can be used to make a foliar nutrient capable of
increasing crop yields by up to 30%.
7. Green Manure : Cultivated
intensively and then ploughed back into the soil, Manure can act as a
natural fertilizer for other crops.
8. Gum : The gum produced from
a cut tree trunk has been used in calico printing, in making medicines and
as a bland-tasting condiment.
9. Honey clarifier : Powdered
seeds can be used to clarify honey without boiling. Seed powder can also
be used to clarify sugar cane juice.
10. Honey producer : Flowers are
a good source of nectar for honey-producing bees.
11. Livestock feed : The high
bioavailability of Moringa leaves and stems make them an excellent feed
for cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and rabbits.
12. Oil : The seed kernels
contain about 40% edible oil, similar in quality to olive
oil.
13. Ornamental : In many
countries, Moringa trees are planted in gardens and along avenues as
ornamental trees.
14. Plant disease prevention :
Incorporating Moringa leaves into the soil before planting can prevent
damping off disease (Pythium debaryanum) among
seedlings.
15. Pulp : The soft, spongy wood
makes poor firewood, but the wood pulp is highly suitable for making
newsprint and writing paper.
16. Rope making : The bark of
the tree can be beaten into a fiber for production of ropes or
mats.
17. Tannin : The bark and gum
can be used in tanning hides.
18. Water purification :
Powdered seed kernels act as a natural flocculent, able to clarify even
the most turbid water.
PUBLICATIONS
Fuglie, L., 1995. Répertoire
des associations villageoises en Casamance. CWS/Dakar. 132p.
Fuglie, L., 1998. Producing
food without pesticides. Local solutions to crop pest control in West
Africa. CWS/Dakar and CTA/Wageningen. 158p.
Fuglie, L. 1999. The Miracle
Tree. Moringa
oleifera: natural nutrition for the
tropics. CWS/Dakar. 68p.
Fuglie, L., and M. Mane,
1999. L’arbre de la vie. Moringa
oleifera: Traitement et prévention
de la malnutrition. CWS/Dakar. 76p.
Fuglie, L.
(ed) et al, 2001. The Miracle Tree. The multiple attributes of
Moringa. CWS/Dakar and CTA/Wageningen. 172p.
Fuglie, L.
(ed) et al, 2002. L’arbre de la vie. Les multiples usages de
Moringa. CWS/Dakar and CTA/Wageningen. 177p.
WEBSITE
REFERENCES
Lowell Fuglie and
Moringa :
Establishment of new Moringa project in the North of Ghana www.moringanews.org/documents/Leafproduction.doc :
“Intensive Moringa oleifera cultivation in the north of Senegal.” www.moringatrees.org :
Overview of CWS Moringa promotion project. http://tinyurl.com/6uw32 :
Traditional health alternatives: The Discovery Health Channel. www.unesco.org/most/bpik10-2.htm : “Improving nutrition with Moringa “miracle” trees in Senegal.” Best Practices on Indigenous Knowledge : UNESCO/MOST
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