By Abdulwasiu Hassan
If Iron Man were to seek out a peer in the plant kingdom to help fortify the world, maybe the humble moringa oleifera would be hard to beat for versatility and strength.
Dried leaves of this fast-growing, drought-resistant tree of the family Moringaceae are said to pack seven times more vitamin C than oranges, nine times more protein than yoghurt, 17 times more calcium than milk, 25 times more iron than spinach, 10 times more vitamin A than carrots, and 15 times the potassium contained in bananas.
Moringa's nutritional and medicinal potential has been highlighted in multiple peer-reviewed studies, including a 2013 report published in the international scientific journal, Phytotherapy Research.
As more parts of the world look at moringa as a magic bullet, Africa, where the plant grows in the wild, is tapping into its seemingly infinite business potential.
For example, what was once looked at in northern Nigeria as just another edible plant used in popular snacks is now a commercial avenue many people who are eager to explore.
"Moringa farming is very profitable," says Dr Shehu O. Adamu, a retired civil servant-turned-moringa farmer in the Nigerian capital of Abuja.
Adamu, who trained as an agronomist, owns a five-hectare moringa plantation from which he stands to earn two million naira per harvest. The best part of it is that he could achieve this 10 times in a year.
Not surprisingly, Adamu isn't the only one to have scaled up commercial cultivation. "Moringa farming is getting a lot of attention in Nigeria," says Dr Michale Ashimashiga, president of the Moringa Farmers' Cooperative Society.
Medicinal uses
Moringa leaves and seeds have been associated with several medical benefits, ranging from stopping bacterial activities in the body to enriching immunity with vitamins and minerals.
Although people have been using moringa leaves as local remedies for certain ailments since ages, medical validation of their efficacy is still awaited.
This is distinct from scientific studies showing what the edible parts of the plant, mainly the leaves and seeds, contain in terms of nutrition.
Moringa-based products have already made inroads into markets in many countries, spurring entrepreneurs into investing in its potential.
Abuja-based Eden Moringa Productions Ltd is one such venture focused on processing of moringa into various consumer products.
The range of items being made from the leaves and seeds of the plant includes moringa tea, powder and oil, all of which consumers are known to use for their promised health benefits.
Minimal care
“We are among the suppliers of raw materials to companies like Eden. After harvesting and drying the leaves, you get a flat rate of N500,000 (around US $625) for every harvest," says Adamu.
"If you go by weight, I think they were initially paying N2,500 ($3.1) a kilo of dry leaves. So, if you have a high-density plantation, you can make more than N500,000 with each harvest at that rate."
In keeping with the demand, the price of a kilo of dried moringa leaves recently hit an all-time high of N3,500 ($4.3). Farmers like Adamu are convinced these rates are sustainable. "You can make up to N1,000,000 ($1,250) from one hectare and above at a time. And you could be harvesting for many years," he says.
According to Adamu, anyone interested in moringa farming can take the plunge as the plant requires minimal care and thrives in semi-arid areas with irrigation back-up.
Teething troubles
One of the challenges being faced by the nascent moringa industry is lack of water. Experts say moringa needs to be watered once a week, or at least three times a month.
Adamu advises farmers venturing into this field in places where water is in short supply to ensure alternatives such as borewells. "On the flip side, moringa does not like too much water; hence, one needs to make sure the plantation is not in a waterlogging-prone area," he says.
Harvesting and drying of moringa leaves used to be a challenge for farmers in Abuja, but some of them now have access to commercial dryers that can speed up the process at scale.
Pest control has also become more convenient and safer than before, thanks to the availability of organic pesticides that conform to international standards.
As people worldwide become more aware of the value of moringa, its predominance in Nigerian snacks seem to have been affected.
Known as "zogale" in the Hausa language, savouries made with moringa were until recently the preserve of elderly women hawkers lining the streets. Now, there are Instagram reels of special moringa dishes.
Ummiti Muhammad, who owns Habibty's Kitchen, is one of those doing brisk business selling snacks made of moringa leaves.
She sources sacks of raw moringa leaves from farmers in villages and turns these into products that are becoming increasingly popular among even discerning customers. "The business is good," Ummita concludes.
