Desk-based review of Moringa uses in developing countries and end-markets in Europe

Blue Gold is a collaboration programme between the Government of the Netherlands and the Government of Bangladesh. The programme is implemented by Euroconsult Mott MacDonald in close collaboration with the Ministry of Water Resources, through Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB, lead agency) and the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and extends over a 6 years period, until 2019. Its operations concentrate on the polders of three districts: Patuakhali, Khulna and Satkhira. The three regions are home to almost 150,000 households stretched over an area of about 160,000 hectares.

Blue Gold comprises four main components:
Component 1: Community Mobilization and Institutional Strengthening (establishing water management institutions)
Component 2: Water Resources Management (e.g. flood protection in polders, fine-tuning of the drainage and water distribution systems)
Component 3: Food Security and Agricultural Production (implementation of Farmer Field Schools)

Component 4: Business Development (Agri-Business Development)

Under component 4, Blue Gold has identified the need to conduct a Value Chain Study on Moringa tree, which is largely used in Khulna and Chittagong Hill tracts, both as cash and food crops.

Multipurpose tree providing valuable household products

Moringa (Moringa oleifera), of which the pods are known as ‘drumsticks’, is a promising multipurpose tree, which yields four different edibles: pods, seeds, leaves and roots. It is a highly nutritious crop as the various edible parts contain substantial amounts of protein, minerals, and vitamins. Also, it provides valuable household products such as oil or wood and can be even used to help purify water.

In Bangladesh, however, the use of this multipurpose species is limited to the fruits (pods) only. In other developing countries like e.g. Thailand, local stakeholders are taking full advantage of the benefits of the plant by rapidly expanding the production, marketing, processing and consumption of different edibles and products. 

This project offers a desk-based review of the different uses (and therefore value chains) in countries where its cultivation is very popular, such as India, Ethiopia, Thailand and Kenya and end-markets of Moringa in Europe.

Baseline to identify opportunities

The overall objective of the assignment is to conduct a desk study into the uses and value chains of Moringa tree in the countries where this multipurpose plant is widely cultivated and contributes to local economic development and food security. In addition, end-markets for Moringa in Europe will be documented. The findings of the desk study will be used as a baseline to identify opportunities and options for the growth of the Moringa sub-sector in Bangladesh.

The purpose of the project is five-fold:

• To examine the current uses of Moringa tree worldwide;
• To assess the performance of the (different) value chains  by end-market per country with a maximum of 3 countries;
• To investigate the potential of a Moringa sub-sector in Bangladesh based on of the uses, value chains and end-markets in the countries of scope;
• To assess the current end-markets for Moringa (in its variety of forms), if any, in Europa (particular attention given to the Netherlands).
• To identify opportunities and options for development and growth of the Moringa sub-sector in Bangladesh.