Promoting moringa tree as a nutrition source through women groups
(Original)

Abhishek Nayak
(Age 20, India)
BITS-Pilani, Andhra Pradesh

Introduction:
I’m an undergraduate student at a technology university based in the rural town of Pilani. The economy of the town and surrounding villages is majorly agricultural. Being in a dry region, the returns on agriculture are extremely low and majority of the population is impoverished with limited buying power. This affects the health of the children and women especially. A large number of children are malnourished and stunted because they eat the same under-nutritious food that their parents consume. The effect is especially brutal on children who are in an important stage of development. Also culturally women of a household eat after everybody else has eaten, when mostly leftovers remain and thus are undernourished. Their nutrition affects the health of the child they bear and the vicious cycle continues.

As a student of biological sciences, I’ve always been interested in finding solutions using science that would lead to achieving the goal number four (to reduce child mortality) of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) quickly, firmly and in an economically sustainable way.

The Problem:
Malnourishment has been the single biggest cause for infant deaths in India since the past few decades. The survivors of malnutrition have weakened immune systems and more susceptible to diseases and afflictions for the rest of their lives. The macro-economic consequences result from lost productivity, reduced learning capacities and burden on the health care system.

Solutions being called for are normally fortification of available grains and spreading of awareness. But these methods are quite slow in producing results and unsustainable.

Moringa tree:
The Moringa Olifera is a plant that is being used for solving chronic malnutrition problems in many areas. Importantly it is a native species of Pilani whose leaves are locally known as Shajna saag. Its leaves can be consumed by cooking them with spices, or drying and grounding them for soups, while it’s mature pods are consumed as a vegetable.

It is being used as a major combater against malnutrition in African countries instead of using more expensive products. Researchers say moringa leaves have four times as much vitamin A as carrots, seven times more vitamin C than oranges, four times more calcium and twice the number of proteins in a glass of milk. A hundred grams of the leaves will give a four month to three year child all their daily requirement of vitamin A, C and calcium; 75% of iron requirements and 50% of protein requirements.

The tree can grow in sandy soils with a little compost for optimal growth. The leaves can be plucked when they are about a meter tall. The tree is very resilient to droughts and requires very little water for growth. In about nine to ten months it reaches heights of thirteen feet. Its branches need to be chopped regularly to ensure fresh supplies of leaves.

Benefits:
The moringa leaves are a very concentrated source of micronutrients required for development. Their consumption will raise nutrition levels of children and adults alike. Children suffering from chronic malnutrition will get relief and mothers will be healthy enough to give birth to healthy infants.

Their plantation will increase vegetation in Pilani and positively affect the population of birds. Growing them in family gardens will create a shaded and cool atmosphere around the house.

Its pods can be consumed as a vegetable or exported to cities to generate income.

Proposal:

Moringa pods will be sourced from various agricultural research centers in India. These will be used by various student groups formed to run a campaign to sow moringa trees in community gardens.

These student groups will target at educating women on cultivating and maintaining of moringa and on how to benefit from the leaves and pods. Generally women stay back at home to look after kids, cattle, etc. while their husbands work in the fields. Women’s associations could be formed which take care of planting moringa pods and harvesting from the trees. The women associations would be trained by student groups in cultivating and promoting moringa as a nutritious food source.

These groups of women also take care of production of pods, ground leaves and advise other women on nutritious food habits and how to increase health of the family. The pods from one village could be planted in the surrounding others and start a revolution in increasing both nutrition and vegetation cover in Pilani.

The income earned from selling the leaves and pods as vegetables would add to the household income. Since the women add to the family income, they would have more control on spending. A lot of men are alcoholics and spend money at the cost of family welfare. The women would also gain self confidence, respect of local society and be more independent.