The Moringa Plant
We know that the key to achieving a nutritious diet entails empowering communities to leverage local, natural resources. This is why we run workshops about the highly nutritious moringa plant.
Often dubbed the ‘miracle plant’, moringa is grown across Asia, South America and Africa. It is drought-tolerant, durable and grows rapidly, making it ideal for low-income, rural communities. The wood is soft and perfect for wood-burning stoves. The oil from the plant can be used as a substitute for vegetable oil and used in soaps, lamps and food production equipment. The greatest use for moringa, however, is nutritional.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, just 25 grams of moringa leaf powder supplies a person with their entire day’s calcium and vitamin A needs, half the day’s protein and potassium needs and three-quarters of their iron needs for the day. Eaten as a vegetable during meals, moringa leaves improve childhood nutrition, birth weights and the quality of breast milk.
In our program country Benin, The Hunger Project has had success with a program called Moringa ++. The program promotes the cultivation of moringa trees in epicentre communities to contribute to the overall food security of these communities. People also grind and package moringa leaves to be sold and generate an income. This helps make it easily accessible for families to purchase and include in their diets.
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