By Markus Faigle | Volunteer Project Director
Our latest Moringa project is barely a year old, and our focus is to plant as many seeds as possible. Since then two companies already approached Zahana interested in buying Moringa seeds. Seeds as and agricultural commodity was not even part of our original plan, and adds a great new dimension to our reforestation efforts. Moringa trees produce seeds within the first year of planting, some up to 4000. There is definitely potential to sell seeds for income, so the more trees you plant the more seeds you will harvest. We are also sure that as soon as the early adopters have enough seeds to sell, everybody else will want to get in on it and plant Moringa as well.
Moringa leaves and seedpods are a renewable and constantly available rich source of much needed nutrition. Moringa will hopefully become a ‘normal’ addition to most meals in our villages over the years.
Convincing people to eat (and for that purpose alone grow more) Moringa requires creative approaches, such as solar cooked noodles soup with Moringa leaves for our students.
We still plant Moringa oleifera first and foremost as a vegetable (tree). The best way to introduce a new food is by trying it and let your taste buds be the judge (yes, many of us know the power of free samples…)
Sharing food with others in Madagascar is a challenge due to customs and cultural traditions that elaborating goes beyond the scope off this project report. To make a long story short: you cannot just prepare a Moringa dish and take it to a meeting at e.g. the ministry of health and let everybody try this ‘new’ food. Since “learning by eating’ is complicated, we chose the next best route: a YouTube video. Madagascar is no exception, in the city, especially decision-makers and department heads, make use of their Internet access a lot. We created this video that explains step-by-step, from three to plate, how to make a Moringa omelet that basically requires two ingredients: eggs and Moringa leaves. Both available for free, if you grow Moringa trees and raise chicken next to your house.
It is our hope that people in Madagascar, and now you as well, click on the video link and watch this four-minute video “A Moringa leaf omelette by Zahana”. Some of you might hopefully feel compelled to try it out for yourselves. It is indeed very tasty.
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By Markus Faigle | Volunteer Project Director
By Markus Faigle | Volunteer Project Director
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