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.
Introduction
Holiday greetings from DNRC family. We wish you Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year. Thank so much for your continued support through global giving. Your continuous and generous donations are enabling us to serve 450 farmers to take care of their fragile dryland environment in a model that improves social welfare, environmental regeneration and economical sustainability. One way of achieving the above goal is by planting over 50,000 different tree seedlings every year .One of these species is moringa oleifera which we are promoting for nutrition and sale for income. Moringa tree is known for its high nutrition content. Its leaves are dried and made into powder or taken fresh for nutrition/health supplement.(see attached pictures for this report)
What was done during the quarter
a. Moringa seedlings propagation
During the quarter, we managed to propagate and issue for planting 3,000 moringa saplings. Each farmer was given at least 5 moringa seedlings to plant in their individual farms. The idea is to continue planting more and buying the leaves from the farmers to process them into powder for sale for income. Farmers will also be trained on how to process and cook the leaves for their own consumption.
b. Farmers training
During the quarter, farmers were trained in the nutritional value of moringa and how to establish it. They were trained also on how to establish holes and how to plant moringa seedlings.
c. Processing moringa into powder
During the quarter, DNRC started processing the leaves from the older moringa trees planted earlier by the few farmers as a sample for market trial. We are looking for both local and international markets both for moringa leaves and seed oil
Challenges faced during the quarter
• Limited water supply during the dry spell
• Lack of financial resources for marketing and expansion of the project
Focus for next quarter
• Plant more moringa seedlings
• Continue processing more moringa leaves into powder and marketing
• Farmers training
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