MORINGA: CULTIVATION AND USAGE POCKET GUIDE
Peace Corps Senegal 2009
MORINGA: MIRACLE? Moringa oleifera is one of the most talked-about plants in development circles, but its value has been recognized for millennia. It can purify water, enrich food, nourish nourish livestock, and replenish replenish soils. Native to India, M. oleifera grows readily in Senegal, so much that its local name re flects its tendency to “never die”. While volunteers will probably not have problems growing Moringa, this booklet is intended to guide PCV efforts with this non-native tree in such a way that the seeds their communities plant will grow into trees that will bene fit Senegal for generations. M. oleifera is an ideal tree to work with for even those PCVs unfamiliar with forestry practices.
Unless otherwise noted, technical recommendations come from The Miracle Tree, by Lowell Fuglie (CWS, Dakar Dakar,, 1999). Cover images from http://www.traderscity.com/ and http://blog.agriculture.ph/`v
Nursery Techniques: Poly-Pots Nursery Techniques: Bare-Root Beds Direct-Seeding Methods Planting Moringa Intensive Cultivation Planning Calendar Use of Moringa Moringa Recipes Moringa Nutrition Information
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NURSERY TECHNIQUES Poly-Pot Nursery Production Planting M. oleifera in plastic sacks, called poly-pots, is a method that requiries certain materials (the plastic sacks), but keeping the plants in sacks enables the grower to raise large, healthy seedlings before the onset of the rainy season, and also allows for easy transport to distant sites at planting time. To prepare a poly-pot nursery, sift and mix two parts sand and one part manure or compost and fill sacks, making sure to pinch the bottom corners so as to have a stable flat bottom. Place sacks in rows in a recessed bed, in an area with reliable protection from goats and other animals. Start watering the sacks one to two weeks before planting to allow for weed germination. germination. Remove any weeds that sprout and plant 1-2 seeds encouragee germin germination, ation, keep sacks per sack at a depth of 1-2 cm . To encourag in partial shade and water twice daily , keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged. After allowing 5-12 days for germination, thin seedlings to one per sack , and replant sacks whose seeds did not sprout . After seeds sprout, shade is no longer necessary; keep sacks free of weeds .. Seedlings should spend 10-12 weeks in the nursery ; to prepare the plants for stress, reduce water for a week before transplanting ; if seedlings are large from spending too long in the nursery, strip the leaves from lower branches. Before transplanting, dig holes deep enough for the entire sack to fit. Be sure to remove the plastic sack carefully, loosening the root ball i nto the gently without breaking it , and place the seedling and root ball into transplant hole. Collect the sacks sacks after use use so as to avoid littering fields with plastic, and re-use them if possible (to line improved garden beds, for example). 3
NURSERY TECHNIQUES Bare-Root Bed Nursery Production This method requires less materials than the poly-pot method, and creates less waste, but yields seedlings that are more cumbersome to transplant. To prepare a bare-root bed, choose a site that is well protected from goats and other animals. Plan on meter meter-wide -wide nursery beds, in an area with sandy soil. Loosen the soil to a depth of 50 cm —moistening it beforehand can help if soils are dry and hard— and mix in manure or compost and crushed Neem leaves ( Azadirachta indica ) to protect against insect attack. Start watering one to two weeks prior to seeding to allow for weed germination. Remove weeds and plant seeds in rows 30 cm apart (for easy removal), with 10 cm between each seed pocket . The bed should be in partial shade for optimum germination, and be watered twice daily, neither getting dried-out nor flooded. Allow 5-12 days for germination, and then re-plant in the gaps where seeds did not sprout . After seeds sprout, shade is no longer necessary; beds should be kept weed-free. 12-15 weeks in the nursery is an appropriate time, but reduce watering for a week before transplanting in order to prepare seedlings for stress. For easy removal of seedlings, seedlings, soak the nursery beds. beds. To keep the seedlings protected after being removed, pack roots with moist mud until seedlings are placed in the transplant hole. Strip the seedling seedling of lower branches to reduce transplanting stress.
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OTHER PLANTING METHODS Direct-Seeding and Cuttings Direct-Seeding M. oleifera seeds may be sown directly during the rainy season, ideally in the month of July July.. If irrigation is available, direct-seeding is possible year-round. It is best to prepare the planting hole with manure manure or compost before planting, but M. oleifera has been successfully grown with no such preparation. Remove weeds within 50 cm of the planting site, plant two seeds per hole, and water. After seeds sprout, thin to one plant per pocket. Cuttings In addition to direct-seeding, M. oleifera can be grown from cuttings from adult trees. Cut hardwood branches from a healthy, year-old tree that are 45-150 cm in length and 4-16 cm in diameter . Cuttings can be placed in poly-pots and cared for as with a poly-pot nursery, or planted directly in holes prepared prepared as described above. When planting, bury at least one third of the cutting in the ground . Be sure not to overwater after planting the cutting, as this can lead to rotting before roots can develop. Light, sandy soil works best, best, as it allows for good drainage. 2-3 months in the nursery is an appropriate time.
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PLANTING MORINGA Integrating Moringa into Agroforestry Systems Moringa oleifera, when included in agroforestry planting, can complement surrounding fields and gardens in a number of ways.
Alley-Cropping In an alley-cropping system, M. oleifera can replenish soil nutrients, and protect fields from erosion by slowing down destructive winds, but care needs to be taken to make make sure that trees do not compete compete with crops. Plant trees in rows 10 m apart, with 3 m between each tree. Rows should be oriented east-west to ensure that the crops between the tree rows receive adequate sunlight. The leaves and seed pods pods may be harvested for human human or animal consumption, or the leaves may be cut and incorporated into the soil. M. oleifera has few lateral roots, but if competition with crops is feared, deep plowing along each row will cut any such roots. Live Fencing With its fast growth, M. oleifera is a great choice for live fence posts. Trees should be spaced at intervals of 20 cm to t o 2 m according to the t he plan for the rest of the fence. The closer the spacing, spacing, the less productive productive the individual trees will be, but M. oleifera generally performs well even at close spacing. Compound and Garden Planting When planted in households, seedlings require good protection as they are highly palatable to livestock. Space as desired, considering the shade shade that will come from the future canopy; prune trees to control canopy density,, and to prevent lanky growth. sity Orchard Planting Plant the trees 3 m apart from one another and prune them as described for compound compound and garden planting. planting. Pruning is essential to encourage optimum pod growth for seed production. 6
INTE IN TENS NSIV IVE E CU CUL LTI TIV VATI TION ON Maximizing Leaf Production Moringa oleifera can be grown in a garden bed, planted closely together M. oleifera, so as to maximize leaf yield. To plant an intensive bed of M. choose a protected site with sandy soil and loosen the soil to a depth of 50 cm, incorporating a minimum of 6 kg manure or compost per square meter. Beds should be a meter wide and no longer than 10 m.
Water for two weeks and pull out the weeds that sprout, then plant seeds in rows 10 cm apart, with 10 cm between each plant . Water needs are quite high to sustain high leaf production: for every square meter, figure 10.8 L water per day (7.2 L/day in the rainy season). season). Use fertilizer if possible (see below), but do not apply in the first few weeks or seedlings may die. If leaves turn yellow, yellow, manure, compost, or fertilizer. fertilizer. Once the plants reach a height of 120 cm, harvest the leaves and cut plants down to a height of 20 cm ; repeat this pattern of growth and harvest. Keep leaves in the shade to conserve conserve nutrients. After three years, consider replanting to sustain high yield levels. levels. Note that other other sources recommend harvesting when plants are only 40 cm high, and since performance may vary according to soil type and climate, experimentation is recommended to obtain maximum yields.
Maximum leaf yields are obtained with the following inputs: NPK Fertilizer (21-7-20 best) - 16-48 kg/ha every week, with the amount depending on the visible condition of the plants Urea - 8 kg/ha a month after planting, and every two weeks thereafter t hereafter.. Unless using soluble fertilizers and a drip irrigation system, apply fertilizer in a band parallel to the rows of plants, a few cm deep in the soil. Source: “Intensive Moringa Oleifera Cultivation in the North of Senegal” by Caroline Oliver, Church World Service, at www.moringanews. org/documents/Leafproduction.doc. 7
CALENDAR Month-by-Month Planning
January Leaf harvesting
February Leaf harvesting
Water trees to encourage leaf production
Water trees to encourage leaf production Young pod harve h arvest st (for consumpconsumption)
May Water trees to encourage leaf production
June Water and weed nurseries
Prepare out-planting site Harvest pods Water and weed nurseries
Incorporate leaves into fields before planting to enrich soil
September Water and weed plants for continuous leaf production
October Water and weed plants for continuous leaf production
Weed out-planting sites
Weed out-planting sites
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CALENDAR Month-by-Month Planning
March Leaf harvesting
April Water trees to encourage leaf production
Water trees to encourage leaf production
Harvest pods
Young pod harve h arvest st (for consumpconsumption)
Prepare and plant nurseries
July Direct seeding
August Finish transplanting
Begin transplanting if rains are consistent
Weed planting sites
November Water and weed plants for continuous leaf production
December Water and weed plants for continuous leaf production
Cut branches and cover fields for dry season protection
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USING MORINGA Food Uses Leaves: Fresh and Dried The leaves of the M. oleifera tree are extremely nutritious and can be included in many food preparations. In an intensive plantation, leaf yields use for leaves in Senegal is to precan reach 78 T/ha . The most familiar use pare haako or mboum, but dried leaf powder may be easily incorporated into many dishes (rice, millet, sauces, porridges, omelettes, beignets) to add nutrit nutritional ional value. To make leaf powder, first dry washed leaves in a shaded, shaded, well-ventilated area. Next pound pound the leaves, then re fine the powder by rubbing it through wire mesh. Leaf Juice The juice from the leaves—extracted by crushing the leaves then filtering and diluting the juice—can be made into a drink that confers many of the nutritional benefits of the leaves alone. Pods The pods, when harvested very young (less than 1 cm thick)), can be cooked as green beans and incorporated incorporated into many common common dishes. The pods can also be used for making soups, or fried (just the inner flesh and beans). Flowers and Unripe Seed Kernels Flowers and unripe seeds can be mixed into leaf sauces, but they can also be steamed for salad or other dishes, or fried and salted for a snack. Seed for Oil Ripe seed kernels contain up to 40% oil by mass, and may be pressed to extract a fine oil that may then be used for cooking as well as soap making, and lamp fuel. With potential seed yields of 5 T/ha , a well-maintained orchard can yield a couple thousand liters of oil per hectare. See page 61 of The Moringa Tree for information on building an oil press. 10
USING MORINGA Other Uses Livestock Feed Pressed seed cake cake can be used as livestock feed. Before giving the seed cake to livestock, mix with water and then strain out the liquid with a cloth. Stems, leaves, flowers, and pods can be fed to animals as well. Soil Amelioration Pressed seed cake can be used as fertilizer, as well as cut leaves/stems; mixing these into soil can raise nutrient levels and improve soil texture. Seed for Water Puri fication When pounded into a powder, mature seeds also serve as a water purification agent; 10 L of of water requires a teaspoon of powder powder.. Make a paste of seed powder and a small amount of water, then dilute this paste in a bottle of water. water. Close the bottle and shake shake for 5 minutes, then strain through cloth to remove the solids, letting the liquid fall into the vessel of water to be treated. Stir quickly for a few minutes, minutes, and then slowly for for 15 minutes more, and then let the water sit for an hour or or more. After solids settle to the bucket’s bucket’s bottom, the clean water can be decanted. Boiling or bleach treatment will finally render the water fully safe to drink. Plant Growth Hormone Young shoots of M. oleifera (less than 40 days old) contain a hormone that stimulates growth of other crops when sprayed sprayed on directly. directly. Pulverize 10 kg shoots, mix with a liter of water, strain out the remaining solids, and spray the resulting liquid on plants (25 ml per plant or so). Almost every part of the tree can be used for something; for more information consult The Moringa Tree.
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COOKING WITH MORINGA Recipes Moringa Haako 3 1/3 c. Moringa leaves 1/4 c. ground peanuts 3 dried fish 2 medium onions, minced 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt Pepper Red Pepper Dried oysters (optional) Boil leaves for 10 minutes, then remove leaves from water and set aside. Reheat water to boiling and stir in the other ingredients. Boil for 15 15 minutes, then reduce heat, add leaves again and simmer for ten minutes. Serve over a simple grain (millet couscous, rice, etc.) or eat as soup. Moringa Porridge 1 1/2 c. water 1 1/2 c. milk 1/2 c. millet flour 1/4 c. ground roasted cowpeas 3 T. ground peanuts 2 T. Moringa powder 2 T. T. sugar su gar 1 pinch iodized salt Butter or cream (if you’re lucky enough to live near Pulaars) Boil water and mix dry ingredients. Add these to the water and stir vigorously.. Reduce heat and orously and add milk. Cook for 10 minutes while while stirring constantly to prevent scorching. scorching. Serve with butter or cream. cream. 12
COOKING WITH MORINGA Recipes Moringa Fataya Wheat flour Onions, minced Fish or beef, ground Red pepper, crushed Moringa leaf powder Cooking oil Mix flour and water into a dough, and knead until smooth. Roll onto a cut into triangles. Mix the fish/beef, onions, red pepper flat surface and cut and leaf powder, and put a spoonful of this mixture in the center of each triangle. Fold the corners corners of the triangles together to a point, point, and pinch pinch the edges (the finished piece should look like a squat pyramid). pyramid). Fry these in hot oil until golden brown. Adding Moringa to...Ceeb u Jen Cut up young Moringa pods (1 cm thick) and add with other vegetables. ...Kaldu Add Moringa powder to the water when adding onions ...Maafe Stir in Moringa powder to the sauce just before serving. ...Ndambe Boil Moringa leaves for 10 minutes, remove from water, and use this water to cook the beans; once beans are done, combine with leaves. ...Soupe au Kanja Add young Moringa pods, powder, or leaves when adding okra. 13
NUTRITION INFORMATION Fresh Leaves and Dried Leaf Powder Component
Moisture Content (%)
100 g Leaves 100 g Powder Child’s RDA
75.0
7.5
-
Calories
92
205
-
Protein (g)
6.7
27.1
16
Fat (g)
1.7
2.3
-
Carbohydrate (g)
13.4
38.2
-
Fiber (g)
0,9
19.2
-
Minerals (g)
2.3
-
-
Calcium (mg)
440
2,003
400
Copper (mg)
1.1
0.57
0.8
7
28.2
10
Potassium (mg)
259
1,324
800
Magnesium (mg)
24
368
150
Phosphorous (mg)
70
204
800
Sulfur (mg)
137
870
-
Selenium (mg)
-
0.09
0.01
Zinc (mg)
-
3.29
3.9
Oxalic acid (mg)
101
1,600
-
Vitamin A (mg)
6.8
18.9
1.5
Vitamin B (mg)
423
-
-
Vitamin B1 (mg)
0.21
2.64
0.5
Vitamin B2 (mg)
0.05
20.5
0.8
Vitamin B3 (mg)
0.8
8.2
9
Vitamin C (mg)
220
17.3
20
Vitamin E (mg)
-
113
-
Iron (mg)
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NOTES
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Corps de la Paix Américain Américain Almadies Lot N/1 TF 23231 B.P. 2534, Dakar RP
