Moringa to support Kenyan farmers health & wealth

Introduction

Moringa to support Kenyan Farmers Health and Wealth project continue to progress well with awareness and usage of Moringa power increasing in the County and within the community we are working with. This project is mainly focused on Moringa tree for its nutritional value for the farmers and extra to sale for income for the now 500 farmers we are working with. Besides the Moringa trees grown by the farmers, we still plant over 25 other different varieties of trees for different uses. The Farmers have started benefiting from other trees products like sustainable harvesting of branches for firewood and charcoal production.

During the quarter, the main activities were harvesting moringa seeds and leaves and bringing them to the DNRC site for sale. Below is more details of the activities and challenges during the quarter. Accompanying are attached pictures of the accomplished activities. We say thank you so much for your continued support and health partnership in this project. God bless.

a. Collecting of moringa seeds and processing moringa leaves into powder

During the quarter, about 40kg of moringa seeds were brought to the office and packed for sale for income. We were also able to process 35kg of moringa power from the leaves brought by the farmers to the site. Once the farmers bring seeds to the site, they are weighed and once sold, the farmers are paid and DNRC makes some margin for sustainability of the project. The same happens to the leaves and the farmers bring them fresh and at the site are dried and using kiln and mortar is made into powder. (See attached pictures of collected moringa seed, leaves being dried and moringa powder.)

b. Propagating moringa and training.

We continued to propagate more moringa seeds in our nursery and training farmers on how to manage the existing moringa trees for optimize the yields. (See attached picture of the tree nursery)

c. Challenges

• Slow local moringa product market. We are trying to sensitize the local market about uses of moringa through word of mouth and display in the office

d. Focus for next quarter.

• To continue to propagate more moringa seedlings and maintenance of the same for October – December rains
• To continue training the farmers on moringa tree maintenance and the importance.
• To continue harvesting moringa seeds and drying leaves for sale and source for both local and international markets.

a. Introduction

Greetings from Drylands Natural Resources Centre (DNRC) family. We are more than grateful for your kind donations through global giving. We are able to continue to regenerate Maiuni community through income generation, environmental protection and social capital build up through planting of Moringa oleifera and other trees by 450 farmers and 6 schools. We focus more on moringa oleifera due to its high nutrition value and saleable product due to its increasing demand locally and internationally. During the quarter, we were able to sale both seeds and powder locally worthy approximately $1000.This amount was distributed to the 450 farmers thus improving local economy. Also the farmers continued to use the Moringa in their diets thus improving their nutrition and diversify their diets. We also continued to propagate more moringa seedlings in our tree nursery, issue ready moringa seedlings to the farmers to plant and also to follow up to the farmers fields to train them on tending the planted moringa seedlings in their farms. The following are more detailed activities which took place during the quarter.

b. Propagating Moringa seedlings

During the quarter, we continued to propagate moringa seedlings to be issued to the farmers during the rainy season. The target for this year is to give each of the 450 farmers at least 10 saplings. (See attached pictures of our tree nursery attendant propagating the saplings)

c. Follow ups of Moringa trees in the farmers’ farms

DNRC training and outreach staff visited 20 individual farmers’ farms as a follow up and on farm training to make sure they are managing the planted moringa seedlings well. During these visits the farmers were also sensitised on the importance of moringa and need to continue caring and increasing the volumes for increasing market. (See attached picture of a DNRC farmer next to her flourishing moringa tree).

d. Processing Moringa powder.

During the quarter, farmers continue to harvest their moringa trees leaves and bringing them to the office for processing. Once they bring the leaves in the office, they are weighed, recorded and dried under shade to retain their nutritive value and then pounded into power and packaged for sale. (See attached picture of some processed powder).

e. Focus for next quarter.

• Continue propagating more moringa seedlings
• Farmers getting more training on moringa.
• Harvesting of moringa seeds from the mature trees for sale.
• Continue processing and packaging moringa powder for sale.