Noel Vietmeyer

U.S. National Academy of

Sciences
“Although few people have
heard of it today, Moringa
could soon become one of the
world’s most valuable plants,
at least in humanitarian terms.”

-1992
12 years ago, very few projects and studies
were being done with Moringa in Africa
 Today, there are many organizations,
churches, and individuals promoting or using
Moringa in virtually every country in sub-
Saharan Africa – wherever the tree can grow
In some countries, the number of NGO’s involved with
Moringa has become so great that national
associations of Moringa promoters have been created
 Growing African interest in Moringa is also
reflected in African presentations at
international Moringa workshops
2001 WORKSHOP

International presenters: 8+

African presenters: 1

2006 WORKSHOP

International presenters: 13

African presenters: 20+

 MORINGA WEBSITES
www.moringanews.org
www.treesforlife.org
www.tfljournal.org
www.miracletrees.org
www.echonet.org
 FILMS EXTOLLING MORINGA
It is quite surprising to find many films
about Moringa are now featured on
Youtube: films made in the
Philippines, India, Madagascar, Ghana,
Senegal, the United States. . .
Go to the following site and it will lead
you to other sites:

http://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=kTSrhxsnucw
 MORINGA
HEALTH
DEVELOPMENTS
AVRDC: The World Vegetable Center
 AVRDC REPORT

Variation among 10
M.oleifera accessions for
nutrient contents were
small and thus varietal
selection should focus on
horticulture traits.
 AVRDC REPORT ON NUTRIENT
AVAILABILITY
• Mature leaves were more nutritious than
young shoots and could be quickly dried
with minimum nutrient loss.
• We found that harvest season and leaf
stage significantly influenced nutrient
contents of Moringa leaves. Higher protein,
vitamin A and glucosinolates contents and
AOA (antioxidant activities) were obtained
in hot-wet season; whereas, higher iron,
vitamin C, and phenolic contents were
found in cool-dry season.
 AVRDC REPORT ON NUTRIENT
BIOAVAILABILIY
Oligosaccharides and oxalate were
reported as anti-nutrient factors in
Moringa leaves. . . In this study,
stachyose and raffinose were not found
in mature leaves but detected in young
leaves. . .
Moringa mature leaves contained very low
value of oxalate (0.99±0.21mg/g/dw)
compared to spinach (25-45mg/g/dw).
 AVRDC REPORT ON IRON
BIOAVAILABILITY

Boiling in water enhanced the in vitro

iron bioavailability of Moringa fresh
leaves and dried powder by 3.5 and
3 times, respectively.
Cooking Moringa leaves also raised
total available iron of mixtures with
other food items such as
mungbeans.
 AVRDC RECOMMENDATIONS

Our survey of over 120 species of

tropical and subtropical edible
plants for nutrient content,
antioxidant activity (AOA) and crop
traits indicated that Moringa oleifera
is one of the most promising crops
which could increase intake of
micronutrients and antioxidants.
 AVRDC RECOMMENDATION
Moringa should be
promoted for greater
consumption to improve
nutrition and strengthen
immune functions for
fighting infectious
diseases.
MORINGA
HEALTH
AND
MEDICINE
 CLINICAL STUDIES
A study in India with human diabetics found
that blood sugar levels decreased through
daily intake of Moringa leaf powder.

A study with humans in Ghana indicated that

intake of Moringa leaf powder can decrease
hypertension.

A study in the Philippines found that

consumption of Moringa fruit can increase
sperm count.
 TRADITIONAL REMEDIES
• New treatments from seminars in
Ghana March 2008 by ANAMED:
• Many people said that Moringa had
helped greatly to improve their
general health. Some said that their
short sight had improved.
• Cuts and wounds
Pound fresh leaves into a paste.
Cover the wound with this paste,
bandage and leave for 3 days.
• A woman has given birth and is
bleeding.
Pound fresh leaves, add a little water
and give it her to drink.
• Prevention of polio. Give flowers to
children to eat to prevent polio.
• Chronic sores.
Take some roots, wash them and
scrape the outside layer off. Heat in
water. Use the water to wash the
wound. Then dress as number 1.
• Epilepsy.
Pound the bark or the roots of a
mature tree. Add tender leaves
and a little water. Smear this
paste over the face and the whole
body. Also put a little of the
pounded root in a handkerchief
and inhale.
• To bring fever down.
Dip a Moringa branch into water
and stroke the whole body. Then
give Moringa tea to drink.
•Snake and scorpion bites.
Pound the root, add leaves
and apply to the bite. Stops
the poison from spreading.
•Short sight.
Wash the flowers in salt water,
chew and swallow. Take three
times daily. Or cook the
flowers in palm oil.
• To cleanse the blood.
Wash the root and remove the
bark (not the “bast”, i.e. the inner
layer immediately under the bark
that carries the sap from the
roots to the leaves). Put into
water that has just boiled and
has been removed from the heat.
The water changes colour. Mix
with a few Moringa leaves.
Thereafter, take every day take
Moringa leaves in water.
• Clear thinking for school children –
especially under-performing children.
Wash Moringa root, remove the bark
and soak in water for two days until
the water changes color (brown / pink)
(or as 10 above). Remove the roots,
take one cup of the liquid and mix
with half a cup of honey. Give to the
child first thing in the morning – then
he should have no breakfast until 9
o'clock. He can even take it again in
the evening. Prepare this root water
fresh every day. Note: heating Moringa
causes it to lose it healing properties.
•Severe stomach-ache
Pound two seeds and take with
medicinal charcoal.
•Stomach pains
Chew and eat two seed kernels
and drink a cup of water.
•Arthritis pains
Chew and eat two seed kernels
in the morning and two again
at night.
MORINGA
LIVESTOCK
FEED
 Successful experiences
on the use of Moringa
oleifera in animal feeding

Bryan Mendieta, Nadir Reyes &

Rosario Rodriguez
 Treatments
6 COWS
T1: Hay (B brizantha), sugar cane
molassas (SCM)
T2: Hay + SCM + 2kg DM (Dry Moringa)
T3: Hay + SCM + 3kg DM

36 PIGS (45 days old)

T1: 100% Commercial Concentrate (CC)
T2: 70% CC + 30% DM
T3: 52% CC + 48% DM
Treatments

18 SHEEP 5 months old

T1: Panicum Maximum hay ad libitum
T2: P.M. ad libitum + 0.35kg DM
T3: P.M. ad libitum + 0.50kg DM
Results
Cow trial results
Items B. Brizantha + 2 kg DM M. + 3 kg DM M. S.E
hay oleifera oleifera

Feed Intake Kg
DM day-1 8,5 10,2 11 0,21

Milk Kg cow
day-1 3,10 4,91 5,07 0,2

FCM
kg cow day-1
3,14 4,86 4,95 0,16

MF
Kg cow day-1
41,8 39,8 38,7 0,10

FCM (Fat Corrected Milk 4%), MF (Milk Fat)

Pig Trial Results
Items 100% 70% CC+30 52%
Concentrate M oleifera CC+48% M.
oleifera
Average 0,600 0,370 0,270
Daily Gain
(Kg)
Feed 3,71 8,97 12,09
Conversion
Kg feed per Kg
weight gain
Final Body 94,92 63,42 42,09
Weight (Kg)
Sheep Trial Results

Items 100% P. + 0,35 Kg DM + 0,50 Kg DM

maximun M. oleifera M. oleifera

DMI Kg 0,57 0,73 0,80

DWG g 30,85 90,91 117,97

lamb -1 day -1

DMI (Dry Matter Intake), DWG (DAily Weigth Gain)

Conclusions
 M. Oleifera fed at 2-3 Kg DM day -1 improved
DMI and Milk Yield in Cows.
 Pigs fed with M. Oleifera had less AWG and
more Feed Conversion than fed with CC.
However, feeding M oleifera to pigs may still be
profitable due to the lower feed price. This
needs to be further investigated.
 When fed P. maximun as basal diet M. Oleifera
can increase DMI, DWG and BW of lambs.
MORINGA
SEED
OIL
 Companies selling Moringa oil
Qty Price

UncleHarry.com 1oz $12

Eromatic.co.uk 100ml $12

Fromnaturewithlove.com 2oz $15.23

Gracefruit.com 100ml $8.55

Moringafarms.com 4oz $25

 Companies producing Moringa oil
We can offer Moringa oil for US$18
per Kilo and Moringa Leaf Powder
for US$6 per Kilo. Please let us
know where you want the product
to be delivered. 
Moringa Exports
(A Division of VEG INDIA EXPORTS)
106, Prakasam Street, Erode -
638001 INDIA
Email: info@moringaexports.com
MORINGA
ENERGY
 MORINGA OIL FOR BIOFUEL?
• In the Philippines, SECURA International
announced that Moringa trees will be grown
on 500,000 hectares to supply oil for sale to
North American Biofuels, Inc. SECURA plans to
export 150 million gallons of Moringa oil
annually.
• In Australia, Moringa Pty Ltd is establishing
Moringa plantations on 500,000 hectares.
Moringa Pty is in discussion with Biodiesel
Technology operators for the provision of a
2ML per annum biodiesel pilot facility to
enable on-farm processing.
 MORINGA PATENT PROBLEM

At the most recent count,

concerning Moringa there exist:
60 international patents
67 USA patents
98 pending USA patent
applications
Malnutrition map13
Moringa