Moringa Tree: Hardy Source of Food

 

Moringa Tree Info

The Moringa Tree is a hardy drought-resistant tree that provides an exellent source of food, vitamins, minerals and herbal remedies. See http://www.treesforlife.org/our-work/our-initiatives/moringa

Here is some advice I’ve collected about growing the tree. I’m going to try it in Northern California and our literacy program will try it in NW Pakistan. http://opendoorsliteracyproject.weebly.com.

 

 

Greetings from ECHO and thank you for the work you are doing in Pakistan. Moringa is indeed a remarkable tree however it is also a tropical tree sensitive to frosts and susceptible to freezing. For that reason I would not recommend it for the Peshawar area. It will grow well during the summer if you can protect it during the winter but I do not think that would be economical.
We would be happy to send you a packet of seeds to either California or Pakistan but I would not want you to get your hopes up and then find out the tree is not suited to those climate zones.

Yes, covering the trees with plastic or blankets on nights that dip below freezing should work. In looking at the climate data the average minimum temperature in Dec. and Jan. there is a little below 5° C so I am guessing that the temperature doesn’t drop below freezing more than an hour or two on some nights. Does that sound right?
Here at ECHO in south Florida Moringa trees that are not protected during the one or two nights a year with freezing temperatures will suffer damage to the canopy but come back from the roots and lower trunk when the weather warms up.
And actually our approach to development (I prefer Titus Presler’s term “human flourishing’) is rather than to come up with ideas ourselves for the community we encourage participation with them to assess their strengths, assets and resources and come up with their own ideas for generating income. In some cases learning business skills and access to small low interest loans can be effective.
I know that is not as easy as it sounds and especially for young people who are just becoming literate.
We are here and can be a sounding board for you as you search for ways to help the students. I look forward to hearing back from you.
Sincerely yours,
Bob
—
Bob Hargrave
Coordinator, Agricultural Consulting Services
East Africa Program Coordinator
ECHO echo@echonet.org
http://www.echonet.org <http://www.echonet.org>

 

you can register with the ECHO Network by following this link — https://creator.zoho.com/echonetwork/network-members/form-perma/Network_Registration/.

Once you have completed the registration form you will be eligible to receive ECHO Development Notes, submit specific questions to our Technical Response Unit and, if you are working with the poor in developing countries, order sample seeds.

 

Moringa olefiera is the species you want, and whether or not you can use it depends on your elevation. Moringa is a tropical lowland plant and at the lower elevations of Peshawar does fine. I would grow it at 500 meters elevation or less, though you might get away with a little higher. N California is too cold and you will need a greenhouse.

I am copying this message to Wasif Nouman, a PhD student at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad. He would be the best person to talk to about Moringa in Pakistan. Hope this helps and best wishes,

Mark E. Olson • Instituto de Biología • Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México • Tercer Circuito s/n de Ciudad Universitaria • México DF 04510 • Mexico • +52 55 5622-9124 • http://www.explorelifeonearth.org