Fighting malnutrition with Moringa oleifera leaves: an ... · PDF fileFighting malnutrition...

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Fighting malnutrition with Moringa oleifera leaves: an untappedresourceDr de St Sauveur, A.; Dr Broin, M., MORINGANEWS

Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards and markets for a betterimpact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006

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Moringa in India: a fruit industry

Moringa auction in India


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Moringa stenopetala leaves are a staplefood for the Konso people in Ethiopia

Photos E. Demeuleunaere


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Moringa leaf in Africa: asecondary food

Balls of cooked Moringaleaves in Ghana

Fresh Moringa leaf seller in Togo


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Moringa is easy to grow and toprocess into powder


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Moringa is gettingpopular in NGOprojects fightingmalnutrition

Leaf drying on nets

Building awareness in Togo

NGOs need information onthe nutritional value anddosage of the powder

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Using Moringa leaf powder as a source ofproteins and micronutrients in baby foods

To calculate these formulas, we took intoaccount the needs of children aged 6 months to2 years (on a mixed diet of solid foods andmaternal milk) as defined by the WHO.

We calculated the average nutritional value ofMoringa leaf powder from various analysisresults.

We chose other ingredients widely available inAfrica.


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Using Moringa leaf powder as a source of proteins andmicronutrients in baby foods (continued)

The formulas were calculated using the Alicomsoftware, developed by the Tropical NutritionLaboratory of the Institute for Research andDevelopment (IRD) in Montpellier, France. Itcalculates both nutritional values and costs.

We also included results from sensory tests donewith mothers and children in Togo (Univ. of Lomé)and in Burkina Faso (IRD). These tests showed thatformulas containing up to 15% of Moringa leafpowder were accepted.


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Baby flour formula n°1

13 gRoasted cowpea seed flour

0.6 gSalt with iodine and fluoride

5 gPalm oil

15 gDried Moringa leaf powder

67 gRoasted maize flour

Quantity(in grammes per 100g of total)

Ingredient


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24 gRoasted soya bean flour


60 gRoasted millet flour


Ingredient


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10 gSugar

26 gRoasted soya bean flour



24 gRoasted millet flour

30 gRoasted sorghum flour


Ingredient


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These formulas meet children’s protein,lipid, carbohydrate, essential fatty acid, andmost vitamin and mineral needs. They are:– (i) balanced in macronutrients,– (ii) rich in micronutrients,– (iii) produced with inexpensive foods available

locally and– (iv) are a considerable improvement to most

local baby foods.


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Is it economic to produce Moringa leafpowder by institutions involved in nutrition?

Projects that attempted to have Moringa leavesproduced within health organisations gave upwhen faced with the inefficiency of this method.Buying directly from the farmer is the betteroption.

The issue of production costs was notaddressed until very recently as projectsdistributed the powder for free.


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In 2005, we made an initial evaluation of Moringa leafpowder production costs in Benin and in Togo. Thefigures were collected by the NGOs managing theprojects, with a framework provided by Moringanews.

We also obtained data from a completely differentsystem located in northern Senegal: intensive farmingusing drip irrigation,fertilisers and pesticides, as wellas a more elaborate processing system.


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1. Intensive production in Senegal(Church World Service/ASREAD)

Harvestingby cuttingthe wholeplant nearthe ground


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Processing workshop in Senegal (Church World Service/ASREAD)

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Results from Senegal (ASREAD)

Without including investment costs such asthe mill, the pump and the workshopbuildings, the production cost of one kilo ofpowder in this system is 4 €.

Annual production is high, with 5 tons ofpowder per hectare and per year. (=100 t ofbiomass/ha/yr, including branches)

This is an expensive production system


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2. Intercroppingby womengroups

Benin(GARPE/PEACECORPS)


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Women groups make dried leaf powder inBenin (Garpe/Peace Corps)


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Results from Benin (GARPE/PC)

Yields are low: 130 to 250 kg of powder/ ha/yr (butintercropping)

Production costs: 2 €/ kilo of powder packaged inplastic bags (but most of this cost is estimated labour costs)

Women sell the powder in bulk for 1000 FCFA/kg toGARPE, who sells it without making a profit to healthstructures (hospitals).

Health structures sell the powder in 100g sachets. In the city of Parakou, the powder is sold to

individuals at 3000- 4000 FCFA/kg.


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3/ Mono-cropping by small farmers inTogo (APPEF-Togo/Moringanews)


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Stripping leaves after harvest inTogo


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Drying leaves in Togo


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Awareness on nutritional benefitsin Togo


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Results from Togo

Production costs range from 1€ to 1,83€, dependingon yields (620 kg to 1700 kg of powder/ha/yr). Thisis in bulk.

95% of these costs are estimated labour costs, i.e.family labour.

At 1500 FCFA/kg, the average profit is 641FCFA/kg, or almost 1€/kg of powder

Producing Moringa leaf powder can be a veryprofitable activity for small-scale farmers.


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To be accomplished-

Establish quality standards and control of:– Processing (drying and grinding)– Storing and packaging– Shelf life

Registration with health and nutrition authorities(Ministry, Dept of nutrition…)

– Clinical studies needed– Bioavailability studies needed– Advertise to decision makers and international health

organisations


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Moringa food supplements can perhapsopen the path to nutritional use?

Companies who sell food supplements will haveto provide information about the quality andinocuity of the product to register it as a foodproduct or as a medicine. This can help theacceptance of the product by health autorities.


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