Moringa to support Kenyan farmers health & wealth

INTRODUCTION

Much greetings from Drylands Natural Resources Centre (DNRC). Despite the overwhelming hard economic times posed by the world pandemic Covid- 19, At DNRC we were resilience and kept our projects on going thus we are able to share with you our progress report. DNRC continue to work with the 800 farmers to regenerate the environment, regenerate the community, built economy as well as regenerating culture. Moringa is one of agro forestry trees we have been planting since the project inception in 2007 and farmers have benefited health wise though drying the leaves for moringa powder which is a nutritional supplement and selling extra powder and seeds for their income. Farmers with hypertension have confessed that, the moringa powder has been of good help to their nutrition and has improved their condition dramatically. Moringa matures very first and farmers starts getting benefits No for long. We continued to supply moringa seeds to international market but orders have reduced a bit due to covid. Apart from the health and wealth contribution to the farmers, Moringa also contributes to the larger part of environmental regeneration like any other tree by holding the soils together and building the soil fertility as the shedding of leaves continue to decompose thus slowly fertilizing the soils. During the reporting quarter, the following activities took place: harvesting and receiving moringa leaves from farmers, receiving and weighing moringa seeds for the international order, buying pots and potting for more moringa seedlings propagation. Below are detailed activities during the reporting quarter.

SOURCING AND COLLECTING SEEDS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL ORDER

During the reporting quarter, we were busy collecting moringa seeds from the farmers to meet our international order target of 1000kgs. This was achieved and the seeds were defeathered and supplied.

HARVESTING MORINGA LEAVES AND DRYING THEM FOR MORINGA POWDER

During the reporting quarter, we processed 15 kgs of moringa powder. This was sold and the respective farmers got their pay.

MORINGA PROPAGATION

During the reporting quarter, we have been busy potting for moringa seedlings propagation. Moringa is sowed direct in the pots and since its first growing, needs shorter time in the tree nursery before they are issued to the farmers for the October-November rains

NEXT QUARTER FOCUS

• Propagating more moringa seedlings
• Farmers follow ups to manage and prepare to plant more moringa.
• Maintain and manage the moringa seedlings in the tree nursery with other tree seedlings.