Improving the moringa value chain in Bangladesh and linking growers with the market

Abstract

The demand for food in Bangladesh and around the world is changing rapidly. Driven by economic growth, rising incomes, and urbanization, demand is shifting away from traditional staples toward high-value vegetable commodities. In Bangladesh, additional demand for these commodities is projected to be worth about $10 billion by 2020. More than 80% of people living on less than $ 2.5 a day in Bangladesh live in rural areas. This spatial distribution of poverty makes capitalizing on the opportunities afforded by high value vegetables like moringa production an important strategic priority for those seeking to reduce poverty in the country. Insufficient processing capacity, the lack of cold storage facilities or a functioning cold chain, and the persistence of transport bottlenecks are significant constraints to high value moringa production in Bangladesh. The promise of generating higher income and increased export revenues by accessing international markets is matched by the challenges of meeting the exacting quality and safety standards that apply in those markets and by the prospect of having to compete with high quality imports from those markets. There is limited processing of moringa in Bangladesh leading to value addition. The majority of moringa produce is not processed at all and, thus lacks any value addition. Most farmers do not have adequate knowledge of moringa processing and value addition. This paper mainly deals with the present status, value addition, processing and marketing of moringa in Bangladesh. Suggestions were also made on the improvement of the moringa value chain, market access and generation of additional household income.