Moringa to support Kenyan farmers health & wealth

INTRODUCTION

Christmas greetings from Drylands Natural Resources Centre (DNRC) family. As the year ends, we are happy to share our progress report on Moringa to support Kenyan farmers healthy and wealth. We applaud your kind and continued financial support which makes us to achieve our dreams for the community and the organization. Your support help us to continue working with our now 800 smallholders farmers in planting indigenous diverse trees addressing issues of environmental degradation, community disintegration as well as community economic development. The trees we have been planting have both short term benefits as well as long term benefits. The diversity of trees we are planting solves diverse needs in the household ranging from; fodder, timber, medicine, fuel, fruits, conservation and ornamentals. Moringa tree is one of the trees we have been planting since 2007.In this case most of the farmer’s have mature trees as they plan more. So the farmers continue to use both the moringa powder as well as fresh leaves for their nutritional supplement which they have experienced great healthy improvement. Apart from selling through DNRC, they also sale at personal level thus getting more income. Farmers continue to get income from our international order for the moringa seeds which is still running. We say thank you once more for not just being part of this project but playing a critical role in making succeed through your kind donation.

During the reporting quarter, the following activities took place: Preparing farms to plant more trees, issuance, collecting moringa seeds, processing moringa powder.

Below are detailed activities during the reporting quarter.

ISSUING MORINGA SEEDLINGS

During the reporting quarter, we were busy issuing moringa seedlings to plant with other seedlings for October-December rains. A total of 3000 moringa seedlings were issued to the farmers. Seedlings are issued in ratio depending on how much seedlings a farmer is ready to plant every year based on available labour.

SOURCING OF MORINGA SEEDS

During the reporting quarter, about 600kg of moringa seed were sourced from the farmers for the 1000kg of moringa seeds order.

MORINGA POWDER PROCESSING

During the reporting quarter, 29kgs of moringa leaves were sourced from the farmers and dried for moringa powder

CHALLENGES

During the reporting quarter, major challenge was a lot of rains which slowed down seeds drying and shorter time to dry the leaves for powder.

FOCUS FOR NEXT QUARTER

• Farmers follow ups to monitor the planted seedlings.
• Train new farmers on moringa project
• To continue tending the balance of moringa seedlings in the tree nursery for gapping in March – April 2020 rain season.