presented by Diedong Samir (June 2018)
My name is Diedong H. Samir (Prince), one of AMH’s country representatives from Ghana. This is a report on how we as Ghanaians are doing in the Moringa industry.
Ghana is a democratic and mostly Christian country in Western Africa, with a population of approximately 28 million, with a variety of ethnic, linguistic and religious groups. In 1957 it gained independence from the UK.
Ghana covers an area of almost 240 thousand square km, with a diverseness of coastal savannahs to tropical rainforests. It is nestled between the Ivory Coast to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east and the Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic Ocean to the south.
Ghana means “Warrior King” in the Soninke language.
Due to a growing economy and a democratic political system, Ghana has become a regional power in West Africa.
The History of Moringa in Ghana
Moringa has been a well-known tree in many parts of Ghana, particularly in the north where it is cultivated. It also grows in the wild and has been used over the centuries without much ado about its greatness until recent media hype. Now its medicinal qualities are well known.One Ghanian weekly described it as a “miraculous tree” which has been helping millions of people around the world. Hence Ghanaians have embraced moringa as an affordable alternative to other high cost medications.
Local people have many names for it, which include Yevu-ti, Babati, Babatsi, Kpokpoti, Atiuwuse, Nukunaya, Kpotowuzie, Yevuts (Ewe language); Zingeridende (Hausa); Obnukuo, Ornyyukuo, Zangala (Dagari); Kpokpotsor (Damgbe); Nasadua (Krusaal); and Gambadua (Bimoba).
Addressing Poverty through Value-Added Products
In Ghana we have a situation where there is a high demand for value-added moringa products, but there is not enough being produced. Ghanaians need to seize this opportunity to become involved in moringa production. Not only will it provide for the market, but it will also address poverty among smallholder farmers in rural areas, setting them up in their own enterprises.
On a global scale, the demand for Moringa products has also grown. This means there is more potential income for the poor, but it comes with challenges. Three main ones are limited production volume, high quality demands from buyers, and limited producer knowledge and practices.
So we need to take a holistic approach in order to increase productivity, improve processing, storage and delivery, and develop a market with maximum benefits to our farmers.
On the plus side, Moringa grows quickly, thrives in poor, dry soil and requires little water. Hence it is able play a vital part in climate change mitigation in Ghana.
A Local Non-Profit Making a Difference in North-West Ghana
One local Non-Profit that is making an impact in the Upper West Region of Ghana is called Rural Empowerment for Accelerated Development (READ for short).
In 2015, READ started a five-year project on improving household livelihoods and nutrition through moringa. Moringa leaves are part of the local diet in the Upper West region, especially among the Dagaaba ethnic group.
The main objective is to teach women how to use and sell it to sustain their families. In the training sessions the women learn about harvesting and processing moringa leaves, and cooking nutritious meals for their families.
Since the introduction of Moringa, awareness has grown, and around 1000 rural women and their families have benefited from this intervention.
About READ
4-Fold operations: Food Security, Vocational Training and Micro Credit, Natural Resources Management, and Livelihood Empowerment.
Goal: Increase the self-esteem and empowerment of the poor.
Mission: To provide support, build capacity, and integrate individuals into mainstream society.
Vision: We envisage a world where communities manage their environment in a sustainable and healthy manner and where equal opportunities exist for all people in the use of natural resources and indigenous knowledge.
Philosophy: We believe in promoting Moringa farming and beekeeping as a business enterprise.
Objectives:
- To promote gender equality.
- To reduce poverty by improving economic status of individuals through income generation activities.
- To inculcate the habit of savings and credit among target groups.
- To improve health status of communities through health education, environmental cleanliness, and increasing access to primary health and child care centers in remote villages.
- To properly manage the environment especially in education on bushfires and charcoal production.
- To increasingly adopt sustainable agricultural practices.
- To assist farmers with pricing and to be competitive.
More Success Stories in Ghana
Mr. Columbus in Goriyiri, Daffiama Busie Issa district, makes about $1,000 every year from the sale of moringa seeds and leaves.
“My name is Dery Mary, am 42 years old mother of five children and I live in Tuggo (15km away from the town of Lawra). Thanks to the training I received from READ Ghana in 2016, I support my whole family alone through. This activity is a blessing to me because I can earn between ¢30 to ¢50 (US$7.50 to $12.50) per day through the sale of moringa leaves. I also learned that moringa is a remedy that can cure diseases such as diabetes and ulcer. Mothers with malnourished children come often to buy moringa powder.”
Mr. Ali Kirpol (on the extreme right) in Konzokala, Jirapa district in his moringa farm – he makes about $800 every year from the sale of moringa seeds and leaves.
Our Future Plans
- Start working on being registered in Ghana.
- Increase value added moringa products by 50% in 2023.
- Distribute concrete bee hives to all our moringa farmers.