ARTICLES in ENGLISH
NEW EXPECTATION IN MORINGA INDUSTRY IN CAMEROON
It is no more a secret that 2019 - 2020 has been a challenging year for moringa project promoters as far as the question of raising the finance but it has left many prospective moringa cultivators filled with certainty about what the future holds.
While most segments of agriculture struggle with finding youth who want to remain on the family farm, or become first generation farmers, the Moringa industry doesn’t face this dilemma. Our young people of today want to be in the business. In an unpredictable economy with long hours and profits reliant on the whims of Mother Nature, young Moringa growers are full of enthusiasm for shepherding the industry into the future. These new growers are eager to not only play pivotal roles in their Moringa businesses but to become leaders within the industry. In fact, I’ve seen such overwhelming interest from many countries across the globe, and particularly in Cameroon, the two“Congos”, and Chad .
We at MOCAM association recommend activities to build community and learning opportunities that are relevant to advancing in the industry and cease Covid 19 as an opportunity for Moringa industry.
As we know, the Quality Planting material production is a strategic link in the Moringa supply chain and influences the choices and economic performance of the whole production sector either for leaves or seeds. The development of improved varieties, propagation techniques, Floral biology and Advanced production systems in annual Moringa and perennial Moringa, Cropping systems, Nutrient management, biofertiliser for enhancing the production potential of Moringa, weed management, Major insect pests of Moringa and their management, Disease of Moringa and their management, Post harvest management, Seed production strategies for perennial Moringa and the use of new technologies are the key to ensure the developing a modern, sustainable, profitable Moringa growing.
A modern advancements has a dynamic effect on the Moringa industry to introduce technology is the ideal frame for transferring innovations in Moringa growing. This will allow the Moringa tree and its unique produce to serve as a bridge between tradition and innovation, between culture and health, and to secure growth and economic development.
The Moringa is a species of major economic importance to many countries but not as such to Central Africa countries. Over the last 12 years in particular, there has been an upsurge of interest in its cultivation and production yet more remain to be done.
Research have confirmed the value of Moringa tree and its all parts and the dissemination of research findings has stimulated its move into new, high-potential consumption markets. With all these factors coming into play simultaneously, world consumption has increased substantially in the last decade
There is a strong consumer demand for Moringa Products which is acknowledged to be essential for human health. This is stimulating the intensification of Moringa growing, mainly for leaves/oil, has been resumed or newly developed.
As per MOCAM ASSOCIATION, which estimate that Moringa orchard crop area will expand at a yearly rate of 220 ha cultivated, so bringing Cameroon and Chad Republic cultivated crop area to more than 1000 ha up to 2025
The introduction of conferences shall describe the basic techniques and good agricultural practices that can be implemented according to local conditions in Moringa Farms in these areas: The key role and future development of modern Moringa value addition in order to guarantee product quality to both producers and consumers.
We’ve got a lot of topics on the agenda, including production techniques in Moringa growing & processing, selecting tree spacing and farm design, choosing the varieties, fruit ripening and optimal harvest timing etc. New Farms are most instrumental in raising production, facilitating proper harvest and expanding Moringa growing. When establishing Moringa successful Farm, one has to ensure right, efficient and enhanced Production techniques in Moringa growing:
–optimal conditions for developing the root system, making the canopy functional, achieving heavy fruiting and obtaining product quality.
–the right areas in terms of climate, soil and technical and commercial facilities.
– the tree spacing adapted to the requirements of the species and cultivar and suited to efficient harvest.
– the use of high-yielding cultivars with long productive life span which bear quality product, are resistant to pests and diseases and adapted to high yields.
– to Make sure water drainage is correct and if water logging persists, drain.
– Water after planting and monitor the trees carefully, especially for the next two years when growth is at a maximum, to avoid water stress and nutritional deficiencies and to ensure rational crop health protection.
Due to the potential of Moringa as a nutritional security provider and the high value energy crop, much importance is attached globally, and this is the right time to gear up for research and development activities to reap its fullest potential
The multiplication of meeting that scientists shall develop topics covering all aspects of Moringa Oleifera. The participants shall hear their scientific knowledge and experiences first hand through in-depth experiments and discussion, and explore innovative new ideas on how to prove the value of Moringa farms and ultimately grow revenues, despite the economic downturn under Covid-19 era.
Today’s Moringa growers/ producers face a real vacuum when it comes to acquiring knowledge/training in the cutting edge techniques that are emerging in the field.
The cooperative development and training is the only program or place where, through precise practical Knowledge, they can get the exact methodology, tools and techniques to grow Moringa crop successfully in a context of heightened efficiency. The goal is to take their Moringa endeavour to the next level.
For conclusion, production processes and business planning need to be better organized and balanced in Cameroon and its neibhouring countries. In practical terms, it is necessary to organize a new productive, commercial and technological approach right from ground zero to Moringa production to incorporate a strategic role into its overall economic and social functions, to make it capable of production of Moringa adapted to a range of environments, to equip it to provide the ideal frame for expanding Moringa growing and to make sure that every country in the subregion derives effective, sustainable benefits from using this natural resource.
By basing on our traditional constant cooperation with Dr Newton Amaglo, and the new vision of Afrika Evolve, the producers of moringa in Cameroon must take up front line by adopting proper production that may lead to the organic standards.
Theo
THE FAO ARTICLE ON MORINGAwww.fao.org/traditional-crops/moringa/en/
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The Species of Moringa: Life Forms
The 13 species of Moringa fit into three broad categories that reflect life form and geography. The links below are arranged under these categories. To find out more about a species, click on its name to go to its page. For links to species pages arranged geographically, jump down to the maps.
1) Bottle trees2) Slender trees3) Trees, shrubs, and herbs of northeast Africa
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Bottle trees
 Massive trees with bloated water- storing trunks and small radially symmetrical flowers.
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Slender trees
 Trees with a tuberous juvenile stage and cream to pink slightly bilaterally symmetrical flowers
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Trees, shrubs, and herbs of NE Africa
 The eight Moringa species found in northeast Africa span the whole range of life form variation found in Moringa. All but M. peregrina are endemic to northeast Africa, that is, found nowhere else on earth .These species are tuberous adults or tuberous juveniles maturing to fleshy-rooted adults; colorful, bilaterally symmetrical flowers
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M. drouhardii Madagascar
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M. concanensis mostly India
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M. arborea NE Kenya
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M. hildebrandtii Madagascar
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M. oleifera India
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M. borzianaKenya and Somalia
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M. peregrina Red Sea, Arabia, Horn of Africa
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M. stenopetala Kenya and Ethiopia
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M. pygmaea N Somalia
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The immature pods are the most valued and widely used of all the tree parts. The pods are extremely nutritious, containing all the essential amino acids along with many vitamins and other nutrients. The immature pod can be eaten raw or prepared like green peas or green beans, while the mature pods are usually fried and possess a peanut-like flavour. The pods also yield 38 - 40% of non-drying, edible oil known as Ben Oil. This oil is clear, sweet and odourless, and never becomes rancid. Overall, its nutritional value most closely resembles olive oil. The thickened root is used as a substitute for horseradish although this is now discouraged as it contains alkaloids, especially moriginine, and a bacteriocide, spirochin, both of which can prove fatal following ingestion. The leaves are eaten as greens, in salads, in vegetable curries, as pickles and for seasoning. They can be pounded up and used for scrubbing utensils and for cleaning walls. Leaves and young branches are relished by livestock. The Bark can be used for tanning and also yields a coarse fibber. The flowers, which must be cooked, are eaten either mixed with other foods or fried in batter and have been shown to be rich in potassium and calcium.
In developing tropical countries, Moringa trees have been used to combat malnutrition, especially among infants and nursing mothers. Three non-governmental organizations in particular - Trees for Life, Church World Service and Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization - advocate Moringa as “natural nutrition for the tropics.” Leaves can be eaten fresh, cooked, or stored as dried powder for many months without refrigeration, and without loss of nutritional value. Moringa is especially promising as a food source in the tropics because the tree is in full leaf at the end of the dry season when other foods are typically scarce. Analyses of the leaf composition have revealed them to have significant quantities of vitamins A, B and C, calcium, iron and protein. According to Optima of Africa, Ltd., a group that has been working with the tree in Tanzania, "25 grams daily of Moringa Leaf Powder will give a child" the following recommended daily allowances:
Protein 42%, Calcium 125%, Magnesium 61%, Potassium 41%, Iron 71%, Vitamin A 272%, and Vitamin C 22%. These numbers are particularly astounding; considering this nutrition is available when other food sources may be scarce.
Scientific research confirms that these humble leaves are a powerhouse of nutritional value. Gram for gram, Moringa leaves contain: SEVEN times the vitamin C in oranges, FOUR times the Calcium in milk, FOUR times the vitamin A in carrots, TWO times the protein in milk and THREE times the Potassium in bananas.
The Moringa tree has great use medicinally both as preventative and treatment. Much of the evidence is anecdotal as there has been little actual scientific research done to support these claims. India's ancient tradition of ayurveda says the leaves of the Moringa tree prevent 300 diseases. One area in which there has been significant scientific research is the reported antibiotic activity of this tree.
This is clearly the area in which the preponderance of evidence - both classical scientific and anecdotal evidence - is overwhelming. The scientific evidence has now been available for over 50 years, although much of it is completely unknown to western scientists. In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s a team from India identified a compound they called pterygospermin. This group was also able to demonstrate its mode of antimicrobial action in the mid 1950’s. Field reports and ecological studies form part of a rich traditional medicine history claiming efficacy of leaf, seed, root, bark, and flowers against a variety of dermal and internal infections. In 1964 other active compounds were isolated and tested in-vitro, and these studies, along with observational studies provide a very plausible mechanism of action for the centuries of claims of efficacy. Unfortunately, because many of the reports of antibiotic efficacy in humans are not supported by placebo controlled, randomized clinical trials, Western medical prejudice leaves the Western world ignorant of Moringa’s antibiotic properties.
Another area of folklore which research supports is in cancer treatment. Moringa species have long been recognized by folk medicine practitioners as having value in the treatment of tumours. Studies examined certain compounds for their cancer preventive potential. Recently two of these compounds were shown to be potent inhibitors of activation of lymphoblastoid (Burkitt’s lymphoma) cells. One of these compounds also inhibited tumours in mice bred to be prone to tumours. In another study, Bharali and colleagues examined skin tumour prevention following ingestion of drumstick (Moringa seedpod) extracts. In this mouse model, which included appropriate positive and negative controls, a dramatic reduction in skin tumors was demonstrated. More rigorous study is required in order to achieve a level of proof required for full medical endorsement of Moringa as, in this case, a cancer preventative plant.
After the oil is extracted from the pods, the seed-cake remaining contains the active components for removing turbidity (solid particles) from water. Because bacteria adhere to the solids, this seed-cake also effectively removes bacteria. At the Thyolo Water Treatment Works in Malawi, Africa, two researchers from the University of Leicester, England, have worked on substituting moringa seeds for alum to remove solids in water for drinking. Not only were the tests successful in removing as much solid material as alum, but the seeds used were "purchased from enthusiastic villagers in Nsanje Region in Malawi" (Folkard and Sutherland, 1996. Not only is Moringa oleifera as effective as aluminum sulphate (alum) in removing suspended solids from turbid water, it has a major advantage. Because it can be produced locally, "using Moringa rather than alum would save foreign exchange and generate farm and employment income." The potential for Moringa to create a new market for a community is there, and studies and projects are taking place examining this potential. Use of this natural substance would also remove a source of aluminum contamination.
This tree is truly a “miracle” tree offering hope; nutritionally, medicinally and economically to devastatingly poor 3rd world countries. It has just recently begun being used as a supplement in a juice form and in powdered leaf tablets.
Sources:
Ramachandran,C., Peter,K.V. and Gopalakrishnan,P.K., 1980, Drumstick (Moringa oleifera): A multipurpose Indian Vegetable. Economic Botany, 34 (3) pp276-283.
http://peacecorps.mtu.edu/resources/studentprojects/moringa.htm
http://www.tfljournal.org/article.php/20051201124931586
Meitzner and Price (Amaranth to Zai Holes: Ideas for Growing Food Under Difficult Conditions, ECHO, 1996),
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/cv/wedc/papers/20/sessioni/sutherla.pdf