Thanks, Gizaw Gebremariam, for bringing in Moringa as a useful source of nutrients both as a fresh vegetable as well as in dried form. But the drying needs to be done under shade to avoid destroying the vitamin content. Moringa stenopetala - sometimes called the 'cabbage tree' - is an indigenous species of fast growing tree that has been cultivated for a long time by the people in Southern Ethiopia, particularly in Konso, a World Heritage Site, but now widely through many parts of the warmer areas of the country. This species is closely related to Moringa oleifera, also called the 'horse radish tree' that is found in many parts of the tropics and sub-tropics. Both species produce very long pods of large seeds that can be crushed and added to run-off water as it makes the mud settle 'floculate'. However, Moringa is now a new fashion as a health supplement, even as tea!
Gizaw Gebremariam until 2011 when he joined us in ISD, was a teacher and learnt to relish Moringa and also to cook it. Two weeks ago when we visited the Dessie area, Moringa was growing in a local tree nursery but no one knew how to use it. So Gizaw collected some young leaves and then took them to the home of one of our youth partners where he cooked them and we all enjoyed Moringa with injera!
thank you very much for sharing this information with our partners in the other countries.I am very much enthusiastic to include the promotion of Moringa in the NMA work.There is wider opportunity to do this in Tigray and south Wollo as the Agro-ecological condition is optimal to grow and introduce to the rural and urban areas.I did the same promotion during the TOT training in haike and the participants of the training includes farmers, development workers and ISD staff members from the main office ,dessie and mekele branch.By chance i got only one big tree of moringa in Logo haike lodge by the lake side and having a permission from the owner i collected young leaves and cooked it in the kitchen where Yared worku also took part in the preparation.This time we used a maize powder to prepare a muffin(locally named Qitta) which the best to accompany moringa dish which people in the south make use of it.Finally participants of the the trained have asked me immediately to take the seed /seedling to their home area to grow and start using it.It was amazing to me b/c i was wondering whether do people like it or not. Everybody in the training has promised to grow and promote in the home area!!!
Dear Sue Edwards and Gizaw Gebremariam, thank you for sharing about Moringa. Dear Alemayehu Ayalew Tegegn, this would be very interesting to know from RSPs about their experiences. Do you already have the core RSP group?
I have been out of the ISD office since Monday of last week with a cold, cough and general exhaustion, but will go in tomorrow to meet with Alex and Gizaw Gebremariam to learn about their plans.
Moringa is an indigenous plant in my enviroment (local name Shiferaw) and hypertensive patients are using this plant to control their blood pressure. for instance my uncle is a hypertensive and he uses this plant by mixing with tea and alone. i see, it's very help full. moreover there are also other significant plants for health like 'Gizawa', 'Nechi bahirzaf'... i think it is vital to keep this plants and use by modern medicine.
6 Comments
Sue Edwards
Thanks, Gizaw Gebremariam, for bringing in Moringa as a useful source of nutrients both as a fresh vegetable as well as in dried form. But the drying needs to be done under shade to avoid destroying the vitamin content. Moringa stenopetala - sometimes called the 'cabbage tree' - is an indigenous species of fast growing tree that has been cultivated for a long time by the people in Southern Ethiopia, particularly in Konso, a World Heritage Site, but now widely through many parts of the warmer areas of the country. This species is closely related to Moringa oleifera, also called the 'horse radish tree' that is found in many parts of the tropics and sub-tropics. Both species produce very long pods of large seeds that can be crushed and added to run-off water as it makes the mud settle 'floculate'. However, Moringa is now a new fashion as a health supplement, even as tea!
Gizaw Gebremariam until 2011 when he joined us in ISD, was a teacher and learnt to relish Moringa and also to cook it. Two weeks ago when we visited the Dessie area, Moringa was growing in a local tree nursery but no one knew how to use it. So Gizaw collected some young leaves and then took them to the home of one of our youth partners where he cooked them and we all enjoyed Moringa with injera!
Alok Shrestha - I am certain you probably have Moringa growing in the lower altitude areas of Nepal. Do the local people there also use it as a cooked vegetable? Sue Edwards Alemayehu Ayalew Tegegn Shakhnoza Kurbanalieva
Gizaw Gebremariam
Oh! dear@ Sue
thank you very much for sharing this information with our partners in the other countries.I am very much enthusiastic to include the promotion of Moringa in the NMA work.There is wider opportunity to do this in Tigray and south Wollo as the Agro-ecological condition is optimal to grow and introduce to the rural and urban areas.I did the same promotion during the TOT training in haike and the participants of the training includes farmers, development workers and ISD staff members from the main office ,dessie and mekele branch.By chance i got only one big tree of moringa in Logo haike lodge by the lake side and having a permission from the owner i collected young leaves and cooked it in the kitchen where Yared worku also took part in the preparation.This time we used a maize powder to prepare a muffin(locally named Qitta) which the best to accompany moringa dish which people in the south make use of it.Finally participants of the the trained have asked me immediately to take the seed /seedling to their home area to grow and start using it.It was amazing to me b/c i was wondering whether do people like it or not. Everybody in the training has promised to grow and promote in the home area!!!
Shakhnoza Kurbanalieva
Dear Sue Edwards and Gizaw Gebremariam, thank you for sharing about Moringa. Dear Alemayehu Ayalew Tegegn, this would be very interesting to know from RSPs about their experiences. Do you already have the core RSP group?
Sue Edwards
Alemayehu Ayalew Tegegn has started the process to form the 2 core RSP groups.
I have been out of the ISD office since Monday of last week with a cold, cough and general exhaustion, but will go in tomorrow to meet with Alex and Gizaw Gebremariam to learn about their plans.
We will keep you updated Sue Edwards
Shakhnoza Kurbanalieva
Thank you Sue Edwards, please take care of your health and wish you fast recovery.
Nigus Bililign Yimer
Dear Members
Moringa is an indigenous plant in my enviroment (local name Shiferaw) and hypertensive patients are using this plant to control their blood pressure. for instance my uncle is a hypertensive and he uses this plant by mixing with tea and alone. i see, it's very help full. moreover there are also other significant plants for health like 'Gizawa', 'Nechi bahirzaf'... i think it is vital to keep this plants and use by modern medicine.