Contribution of Moringa Tree for Food Security and Management in Southern Ethiopia: Review

doi:10.7176/jrdm/81-03

Abstract

Consumption of diverse diets, with balanced supplies of macro and micro-nutrients is required for normal human growth and physiological development. However, availability of optimally diverse diets may be constrained by wealth and/or education (including loss of traditional knowledge of indigenous crops. Human diets have been inadvertently simplified in food systems during the Green-Revolution era where agricultural production focused on provision of sufficient energy. In populations depending on cereal-based diets with low nutrient density, dietary simplification and shortage of access to animal source food exacerbates deficiency of vitamins and minerals, also known as hidden hunger. Moringa oleifera and Moringa. stenopetala are underutilized tropical tree species that can play an important role in dietary diversification and contribute to alleviation of hidden hunger in less developed tropical and subtropical countries .In particular, Moringa can be a rich source of some micronutrients that are commonly deficient in cereal-based diets. Keywords: Food, Tree, Moringa, olifera, Stenopetal ,Management DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/81-03 Publication date: December 31 st 2021

Highlights

Ethiopia is the second-most populous country in Africa next to Nigeria with a fast population growth rate but with huge food deficit gap (Gebreselassie, 2006; Mohammed, Woldeyohannes, Feleke, & Megabiaw, 2014)
Moringa tree is rich in nutrients such as minerals, fiber and proteins that can play essential role in human nutritional consumption
Moringa tree is rich in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber and proteins that

Summary

Introduction

Ethiopia is the second-most populous country in Africa next to Nigeria with a fast population growth rate but with huge food deficit gap (Gebreselassie, 2006; Mohammed, Woldeyohannes, Feleke, & Megabiaw, 2014). M. stenopetala is important as human food because the leaves, which have high nutritional value appear towards the end of the dry season when few other sources of green vegetables are available. ETH), Moringa tends to be cultivated by communities living in marginal environments, with small land holdings due to high population density [6] In these areas, there is often a reliance on rain-fed agriculture as a source of livelihood and there are frequent food crop failures due to drought Each part of the Moringa tree (fruits, seeds, leaves, flowers, barks and roots) is associated with the presence of at least one, or in most number of benefits (Zaku et al 2015) It have multiple uses i.e. leaves can be eaten fresh, cooked, or stored as dried powder for many months without loss of nutritional value. Each part of the Moringa tree (fruits, seeds, leaves, flowers, bark and roots) is associated with the presence of at least one, or in most number of benefits (Zaku et al 2015).The analysis of dietary iron supplements in the liver influenced by M. oleifera leaves revealed that iron from Moringa can overcome iron deficiency (Saini et al 2014)

Vitamin A Calcium Potassium Protein Vitamin C

Findings

Conclusion