Moringa (stenopelata) production and use for water purification in Ethiopia

FINAL REPORT

By Jochem Schneemann December 2011

Commissioned by

ICCO Fair Climate Program

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Contents

1. Introduction and background 3 2. Stakeholders and their stakes 4 3. PSI application assessment 5 4. Moringa stenopelata´s origin and uses 5 5. Ethiopia: enabling environment 10 6. Market: the demand for Moringa products 11 7. Value chain map 12 8. Plantations: management, investments, costs and benefits 13 9. Conclusions and recommendations 14

Annex 1: Key sources of information/references 16 Annex 2: Terms of reference (TOR) separate document

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1. Introduction and background In May 2011 ICCOs Fair Climate Program commissioned FSAS (Fair and Sustainable Advisory Services) to prepare a concept note on the possibilities of using Moringa for water purification in Ethiopia. The objective of the assignment was (see TOR, annex 2): (1) to develop a concept note that presents convincingly the case of Moringa production and use for water purification in Ethiopia; and (2) to collect advise from Agentschap NL on the specific requirements for a ¨Private Sector Investment¨(PSI) subsidy application on Moringa production in Ethiopia. The expected output of the assignment was a concept note counting 6 to 8 pages on Moringa and opportunities and risks of Moringa production and use for water purification in Ethiopia. The assignment did not include an application to Agentschap NL nor development of a business plan. The scope of this study was a desk study during six days. Besides internet search, analysis of a number of key documents, and it included interviews with Mr. Koopmans of Holland Water, Mr. Gert de Gans of the FCP of ICCO and Mrs. Eva Smulders (ex-FSAS Ethiopia). Moreover the option to submit a `Private Sector Investment (PSI)` application for subsidy to the Agentschap Nl was assessed. ICCO anticipated that the concept note could be a first step in the development of a business plan with the aim to access finance. This report presents the findings of the assignment. The background idea to further explore the use of Moringa for water purification originated from contacts between Fair & Sustainable (F&S) Ethiopia, ICCO and Holland Mineral Water Machinery BV in 2010-2011. Holland Mineral Water Machinery BV (HW) is a Dutch company that delivers all kind of water purification– and bottling plants in many countries and they usually use chemicals in the purification process. With support from the Dutch government Holland Water in 2010 studied the possibilities for use of small scale purification machinery in Ethiopia. Besides this study also the Moringa tree and especially the seeds received full attention. The results of studying the Moringa seeds used for water purification looks very promising. Using Moringa as substitute for chemicals would have several advantages. The company states that Moringa stenopelata is more suitable in Ethiopia, compared to Moringa oleifera, due to its higher oil production (larger seeds) and better drought resistance. Besides having a well-known water purification characteristic, Moringa is a multi-purpose tree. It provides valuable greens for eating, a high quality oil for cooking and raw materials for cosmetics and medicines. ICCOs Fair Climate Program is interested to explore the potential to generate carbon credits with the Moringa plantations, and this was the basis for ICCO and Holland Water´s decision to further explore the business case, the potential for PSI submission and collaboration. Many data that were found about Moringa oleifera will also be presented in this report, because the major properties are very similar to Moringa stenopelata.

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2. Stakeholders and their stakes Holland Mineral Water Machinery BV (HW) HW is interested to use Moringa in water purification plants. Based on its exploration in Ethiopia, it concluded that the production of Moringa seeds and leaves in Ethiopia can be attractive and viable. HW saw most potential in a combination of an outgrower scheme (contract farming) and a self managed (medium to large scale) plantation. ICCO Fair Climate Program The FairClimateProgram is interested because the Moringa plantations can in the future generate carbon credits, which the Fair Climate Fund may trade. Farmers and rural population in Ethiopia They can benefit as producer and generate income from participating in a new value chain. Ethiopian government The government will be interested because the initiative will primarily contribute to local economic development - jobs and income- by creating a new market for locally produced seeds and leaves, and secondly it will contribute to climate change objectives through carbon fixation of Moringa plantations. During the trips in Ethiopia Holland Water found that several Ethiopian state representatives showed great interest in both establishing Moringa plantations and using the seedcake for water purifications ends. Some officials even promised to facilitate access to land for the plantation. Netherlands embassy in Addis Abeba The Dutch government stimulates private sector investments in developing countries such as Ethiopia through different ways of support like its Private Sector Investment (PSI) match funding Program 2011 which can contribute up to 50% of the total project costs. Private sector in Ethiopia They can benefit as processors of seeds (oil and seedcake), traders, transporters and generate income from participating in this new value chain. Other stakeholders Horn of Africa Regional Environment Centre(HoA-REC/network), Ethiopian Institute for Agricultural research (EIAR), Forestry Research Centre, Greener Ethiopia and other NGOs. They could play a role in research, awareness raising, disseminating results and organising producers.

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3. PSI application assessment In order to assess the chances for a successful PSI application towards the call for proposals with deadline of 22nd August 2011, a number of actions were undertaken: collection and analysis of the guidelines and criteria for PSI subsidy; obtain advise from two PSI experts; discussion on PSI conditions and criteria /ratio’s with Holland Water and ICCO; collection of additional data from literature, interviews and from projects in Malawi, Burkina and a students’ proposal for small scale water purification in Uganda. When we analyzed the PSI eligibility criteria and the match with the ICCO & Holland Water partnership we concluded that it was currently not possible to satisfy the PSI financial criteria and ratio’s. None of the partners had the capacity to invest at the necessary level in the plantation or processing facilities of Moringa in Ethiopia. This means that PSI at this point is not interesting as a source of finance for the Moringa project. However it is very well possible that the project idea is eligible for other types of support and sources of funds. And if so, a concept note will be useful as a starting point to convince potential investors and stakeholders and to further develop the business case also for a specific proposal aimed at a specific source of finance. Above information and conclusions were discussed with Gert de Gans of ICCO in June 2011 and it was agreed to complete the concept note without a specific focus on a PSI application. 4. Moringa stenopelata's origin and uses Moringa oleifera and Moringa stenopetala are the two most common species among the 13 species of the Moringa family. Both species have many characteristics in common. For both species the use as a vegetable and water purifier are similar. They share several medicinal uses and both have high contents of oil in the seeds: between 32 - 42 %. Moringa oleifera has a faster development and yields fruits and seeds quickly. Moringa stenopetala is better suited to a drier climate; yields of seeds are higher and they have a higher coagulant content (Bosch , 2004). While Moringa oleifera originates from the Himalaya, Moringa stenopetala is endemic to East Africa, where it occurs in northern Kenya and in Ethiopia. The two most common English vernacular names for the tree are ‘ drumstick’ (describing the shape of its pods) and ‘horseradish’ (describing the taste of its roots (Sutherlands et al, 1994). In Ethiopia it is widely cultivated. Moringa leaves have a distinctive strong, mustard- like taste; they are a good source of provitamin A, vitamins B and C, minerals (particular iron) and the sulphur containing amino acids methionine and cystine; they are eaten as a supplement to the major staple foods. Particularly in the Arba Minch and Wollayta areas of Ethiopia, the local people cook the leaves of the M. stenopetala tree and eat them with their traditional kurkufa (a cereal dish made with maize and sorghum and some fat). This is considered a good-quality meal. During the dry season the average consumption of leaves by adults in southern Ethiopia is 150 gram per day, corresponding with 19% of the energy and 30% of the protein requirement. Over five million people consume Moringa stenopetala as a vegetable (Bosch , 2004). In Ethiopia the leaves, especially of trees with bitter leaves considered unsuitable for human consumption, and young fruits are fed to livestock. The Turkana people also feed the leaves to their livestock. But Moringa S. has many other uses, such as medicinal (Bosch , 2004). Communities use the roots for treating malaria and other internal health problems. Laboratory experiments conducted on the basis of the information obtained from the survey (Mekonnen, 1996) indicated that the anti-trypanosomal, anti-fertility and, in particular, the antimicrobial properties of the seeds could be exploited in the production of phytopharmaceuticals (Tarekegn , 2011 personal communication). The wood is very soft and useful for making paper, but makes low grade firewood and poor quality charcoal. In the Negelle and Wolayeta Sodo areas (Oromio, Ethiopia) the seeds are used to purify water. In some areas of southern Ethiopia the seed oil is used as a lubricant, in perfumery and in soap production. Although in cultivation the primary goal is vegetable production, the tree can also play a role in erosion control, as a live fence, as a windbreak, for shade and as a bee plant. (Bosch, 2004).

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In local markets in Ethiopia leaves are sold for vegetable use. There seems to be a modest trade in leaves from south-western Ethiopia to Addis Ababa for use as medicine. No information was found about trade of seeds for oil or water purification. During a field visit in December 2009 in Showa Robit, two staff of F&S Ethiopia found that Moringa roasted seeds are edible and delicious even more than groundnut. A kg of its seed may cost more than 200 birr, in case it is available.

Photo 1: Moringa leave powder and seeds sold on the road side in Bo, Sierra Leone (Schneemann, November 2011).

In several West African countries (e.g. Ghana and Sierra Leone) dried leaves and seeds of Moringa oleifera are widely sold at local markets. In Sierra Leone doctors even prescribe Moringa leave powder as medicine e.g. to heal ulcers. A local business competition winning entrepreneur established her Moringa business and sells Moringa tea in the capital (Schneemann, personal communication, 2011). Properties of seeds According to www.moringanews.org (2011) Moringa seeds contain a cationic polyelectrolyte that has proved efficient in water treatment, as a substitute to aluminium sulphate and other flocculent. There is a dual advantage to this property: 1. it can be used as a locally-produced substitute for imported flocculent, thus reducing expenditure

of foreign currency reserves by third world countries; 2. Moringa flocculent, unlike aluminium sulphate, is completely biodegradable. Oil extracted from

the seeds is an excellent edible vegetable oil and is also useful within the cosmetics industry. A dual usage of Moringa seeds, as a source of oil and flocculent, is possible, since the seed cake remaining after oil extraction retains the flocculating properties (Moringanews and Sutherland et al 1994). The seedcake is biodegradable and can also be used as a fertiliser. Compared to the imported chemicals that are usually applied in water plants Moringa thus has several advantages: • it saves foreign exchange • High cost of water treatment chemicals which constitute between 35% to 70% of recurrent

expenditure of water treatment plants. • Inadequate supply of chemicals for water treatment • Sludge produced by chemical purifiers are voluminous and non-biodegradable after treatment

and therefore poses disposal problems leading to increase cost of treatment. Ghebremichael, K., (2004) investigated Pumice and Moringa oleifera seeds as alternative natural materials for drinking water treatment based on problems identified at the Stretta Vuadetto water treatment plant in Eritrea. Results show that coagulant protein can be purified from the Moringa seeds through a simple purification method that can be scaled up and hence promote the use of Moringa seeds for large scale applications. The lab and pilot scale studies showed that the coagulant protein

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possessed considerable coagulation and sludge conditioning properties similar to aluminium sulphate. It also showed anti microbial effects, some of which are antibiotic resistant. For water treatment application, the seed pods are allowed to dry naturally on the tree prior to harvesting. The seeds are easily shelled, crushed and sieved using traditional techniques employed for the production of maize flour in Malawi (Sutherland, 1994). Schwarz (2000, Gate-GTZ technical Information) provides a good technical information sheet about the use of Moringa oleifera seeds for water purification, preparation of the coagulant solution, method of treatment and dosages of the coagulant. It highly recommends Moringa for domestic purification in developing countries where people are used to drink contaminated turbid water. However Moringa does not guarantee that treated water will be 100% pathogenic free. Schwarz (2000) noted the following disadvantages:

• Treatment makes the water clear and drinkable but the purified water might still carry some (very few) pathegonic germs or microorganisms

• A secondary increase of the bacterial after the water coagulation could be possible • Moringa coagulant is not available in pure form (should be prepared fresh)

A Nigerian NGO developed a water filter based on Moringa as coagulant and sand for household use. See box 1 below.

Sutherland et al (1994) did full scale treatment trials (works flow 60m3/hour) using Moringa oleifera as the sole coagulant in 1994 in Malawi, which showed comparable treatment performance as for the normally used aluminium sulphate or soda ash. Inlet turbidities of 270-380NTU (river water), were consistently reduced to below 4 NTU in the finished water. Foild et al (2001) confirm the water purification properties of Moringa seed, caused by natural polypeptides, cationic polyelectrolytes. These properties have been known for centuries in China. In both Egypt and Sudan the seeds have been used for cleaning water from the Nile, specifically for human consumption. The wings are removed from the dry seeds and then the seeds are ground to powder. The powder is mixed with water, agitated for approximately five minutes and after an an hour it is filtered through a piece of woven fabric to obtain pure water. Up to 99% of colloids can be removed. Only one seed is required per litre for slightly contaminated water and two seeds for very dirty water (Foild et al, 2001).

Box 1: Nigerian Moringa and sand filter

A water filter, which uses a combination of locally available Moringa oleifera seeds as a natural coagulant with slow sand filtration, has been developed by a local Nigerian NGO, Rural African Water Development Project (RAWDP). In May 2006, RAWDP received a US$ 190,000 grant from the 2006 Development Marketplace competition to implement its “Mor-Sand Filters for Oil Producing Communities” project for communities in the Niger-delta area of Nigeria [1].

The project grant finances the production of 1000 “Mor-Sand” filters and the training of 70 youths on how to produce more water filters. So far, 100 water filters have been produced with an additional 300 water filters planned before the end of July 2007, according to Mr. Joachim Ezeji, Project Coordinator of RAWDP.

Ezeji believes that Moringa oleifera seeds are a good free alternative coagulant for alum, which is expensive and has to be imported. That explains why RAWDP plans to cultivate 2000 acres of Moringa plants in south-east Nigeria.

[1] World Bank - Development Marketplace - Mor-Sand Filters for Oil Producing Communities

Contact: Joachim Ezeji, Rural Africa Water Development Project (RAWDP), Imo State, Nigeria, joachimezeji@yahoo.com, ruralafrwadp@yahoo.com, http://www.ruralafrwadp.org

Source: Abimbola Akosile, This Day / allAfrica.com, 10 Apr 2007

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Van der Heijden et al (2011) refer to research that has shown that purification of one liter of water needs 0.16 gram of crushed Moringa oleifera seed. And according to Holland Water 1 gram of Moringa stenopelata seedcake powder has the same coagulant effect as one gram of chemical coagulant Aluminium sulphate (Koopmans, personal communication, 2011). Price of the latter is around US$ 50-60 per kg. Hence to have a price advantage the Moringa seedcake (powder) should cost less than that. Growth and development In experimental plantings of Moringa stenopetala in Sudan, plants reached a height of 3 meter in 14 months. First flowers appeared 2.5 years after sowing. In Konso (Ethiopia) the first leaves are harvested after about 3 years. In cultivation Moringa stenopetala is found at 500–1800 m altitude, but the upper growth limit extends to 2100 m if trees are sheltered from wind and heavy rain. Annual rainfall in the area where it is found in Ethiopia is 500–2400 mm. Light frost is tolerated, but severe frost may cause trees to die back to ground level. In the wild Moringa stenopetala usually occurs on rocky ground near permanent water. It prefers well-drained soils with a high groundwater table, yet it also withstands dry conditions well, and consequently it is found in both wetlands and dry areas (Bosch , 2004). Propagation and planting Recommended way of propagation is sowing. Cuttings can be used, but in the traditional practice of the Konso people they are seldom used. Trees established from cuttings were found to have a poor root system (Bosch, 2004). In arable fields in Konso, where food crops such as sorghum, maize and finger millet are grown, 30–50 trees/ha are maintained. In drier areas the trees are planted in micro-catchments. In Arba Minch, trees are mainly grown in home gardens of up to 0.1 ha with 5–15 trees per garden. Other crops usually grown in these gardens are papaya, coffee, banana, cassava, maize, sugar cane, cotton and Capsicum peppers. Management and yield In Ethiopia trees are pruned every 5 years during the rainy season (March–April). In Benin and Niger Moringa oleifera trees which are cultivated for fresh leave production are harvested 6-7 times a year; harvest starts already 45 days after the seeds have sprouted (Ogoudadja and Saint Saveur, 2005?). Ownership of individual trees is well regulated. Even trees in public places are owned by individuals and the right to harvest tree leaves during one´s life can be bought and sold (country not mentioned) (Bosch, 2004). Generally yield estimates are scarce. Schwarz (2000) states that the annual harvest of a single Moringa tree reaches 3 kg, which in turn can treat about 30,000 liters of water. Bosch (2004) notes an annual production of 2000 fruits or 6 kg of seed per tree under ideal conditions. Medium to high fruit and leaf yields are reported for the plains of the Rift Valley at about 1200 m altitude. At altitudes of over 1650 m no fruits at all are harvested and leaf production is poor (Bosch, 2004). Foild et al (2001) present many relevant data on relation between plant densities and management and productivity of leaves and biomass. No specific information was found about gender issues. It may be assumed that by tradition women often pick the leaves and seeds from the trees, and women separate leaflets from the leaf twigs. Economics Moringa seed contains 40% by weight of oil. The high quality and hence market value of this vegetable oil was confirmed during the study of Sutherland (1994) in Malawi in the nineties. The oil is of equal value as a cooking oil and as a principal ingredient for soap manufacture. The demand for oil in Malawi far outstripped the available raw materials required for extraction. Crude soya bean oil was being imported from South America to make up for the shortfall. Blended vegetable oil was retailed in local stores at a cost equivalent to three times that of the UK price at that time. An economic analysis in the Malawi context revealed that the presscake may be obtained at zero cost as a by-product of oil extraction. See table 1.

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Table 1: Cost comparison of alternative coagulants for Malawi

Alternative Coagulants COST *)

Alum and soda ash (Ministry of Works, Thylo) 501

Floccotan polyelectrolyte (Lilongwe Water Board) 107

Anikem polyelectrolyte (Blantyre Water Board) 106

Moringa seed purchased from smallholder farmers 75

Moringa plantations operated by water utilities 0

*) Costs expressed as Malawi Kwacha (MK) per 1000m3 of water treated

MK 10.07= £1 sterling (March 1993)

Source: Sutherland et al, 1994

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5. Ethiopia: enabling environment During the years 2008- 2009, Ethiopia experienced challenges to democracy amidst continuous and substantial economic growth. Economically, Ethiopia continued to have strong growth rates of more than 10%, although a gradual slowing down was discernible in 2008. The world economic crisis started to affect the country towards the end of 2008 with lower remittances from abroad, reduced demand for Ethiopia’s main export goods, such as coffee and flowers, and tightened short-term credit availability (Bertelsmann Stiftung, BTI 2010 ). Under Ethiopia's land tenure system, the government owns all land and provides long-term leases to the tenants; the system hampers growth in the industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as collateral for loans. With regard to the business environment one observes that the government is opening up opportunities for foreign investors to come. Especially in projects like this the government could be very satisfied since it will contribute to the improvement in food security, foreign currency gain, climate, medicinal value, and working with the poor to generate income and employment. There is also the opportunity the country has in relation to the Ethiopian airline and cargo system which has flights to many parts of the world (Tarekegn, 2011, Personal communication). Other sources indicate that export from Ethiopia is increasingly cumbersome, due to complex and requiring legal and government procedures, even causing withdrawal of foreign companies. As a landlocked country transport costs and transaction costs at borders are relatively high.

Map 1: Economic activities in Ethiopia and Eritrea

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6. Markets: the demand for Moringa products Moringa provides as main products:

a. leaves - either fresh or dried and powdered - are used as vegetable in meals. Locally (Konso) leaves are consumed with cereal balls as staple food. Locally fresh leaves are marketed.

b. seed oil : locally oil is used for lighting. c. seedcake used for water purification. At local level it is reported that seedcake is used as

coagulant purifier (Bosch, 2004), but no indication that seeds are traded for this purpose. Currently in Ethiopia there seems to be no market for the seedcake that can be used as water purifier. No information was found that shows that water purification plants in Ethiopia already use Moringa instead of chemicals.

There are several products of Moringa, the next step is finding the right combination of products that can be produced simultaneously and marketed. Information in most cases shows either the production or income from leaves or from oil. In December 2009 Moringa seeds were sold in Showa Robit at 30-150 ETB per kg when purchased for plant propagation. Saint Sauveur of Moringanews (2005?) did a review of Moringa products at the international markets. It reveals that in several countries (USA, China, India) Moringa products - mainly leaf powder tablets and drinks - are offered as a healthy nutritious food supplement. Existing initiatives for the international marketing of Moringa leaves as food supplements currently only concerns sale on the Internet. On some sites, the following mention appears at the bottom of the screen: “Statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). DISCLAIMER: This product has no approved therapeutic claims. It is not used to diagnose, treat or improve any illness and replace medications. Always consult a qualified health professional when asking for any nutritional supplements.” No product consisting of Moringa leaves has yet received authorisation for sale on the market in Europe or the USA. The body shop has a Moringa product line based on seed oil, consisting of several Moringa body creams and shampoos.

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7. Value chain map Based on the collected information we have designed the value chain map as below. Map 2: Potential Moringa value chain map in Ethiopia

Source: FSAS, 2011

Smallholder Producer

Household consumption

Local Market

Traders

Processors and Exporters

Export Market Domestic Market

Biodiesel/ edible oil

Packaged/graded powdered leaves

Input Supply Extension Services

Micro-finance

Market Information

fresh leaves

dried leaves

seeds

seedcake seedoil

seedcake as coagulant (powder)

for water purification or as

fertiliser

Domestic Market

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8. Plantations: management, investments, costs and benefits In Benin and Togo the actual costs of planting, maintenance, investments for Moringa oleifera plantations for leaf production were calculated as well as income from sales (Saint Sauveur). This has been done both for mono-cropping and mixed cropping cultivation. It provides profit estimations of leave production per ha. Van Peer (www.jatropha.pro/moringa) notes yields of 3.0 tonnes of seed per hectare against average yields of sunflower and groundnut of 2.0 and 0.5 tonnes/hectare respectively. Students from the Wageningen Pantarijn (Heijden van der, 2011) calculated costs of establishing and managing a Moringa plantation in Uganda resulting in a positive cost benefit ratio. See box 2.

Box 2: Project proposal for small scale water purification using

Moringa in Uganda

Students of the final year of the Secondary School Pantarijn in Wageningen developed a project to use Moringa oleifera seeds for small scale water purification in Uganda (Heijden et al 2011). In many African countries large parts of the rural population do not have access to safe and clean drinking water. The challenge for the students was to elaborate a realistic project that would address this problem, using more locally available materials and at lowest cost possible. They did tests with the technology and gathered data from Uganda, suppliers, buyers and calculated costs and benefits. Their reference process was: Aluminium sulphate as coalugant, a sand filter, activated carbon filter, ultraviolet radiation, and finally by adding chlorine dioxide. They choose to use Moringa oleifera seeds and Solar Disinfection as an alternative because it is less expensive, needs less knowledge of the process, seeds are easily available in Uganda and do not have harmful effects on the environment. Research has proven that Moringa oleifera seeds are an excellent substitute for Aluminium sulphate. Moreover the process requires little electricity: two solar panels with a power of 85 Watt are sufficient to power the water pump. They calculated an annual gross profit of € 1041 for establishing and managing a plantation of 112 trees and a water purification plant with an output of 5000 liter of drinking water per day. The income is based on two products: drinking water and Moringa oil. It is doubtful if in fact the oil can be sold at the given price of US 15/liter, this seems a very high price. The water price of 0.0636 Euro/liter seems realistic.

Source: van der Heijden et al (2011)

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9. Conclusion and recommendations Conclusions 1. PSI program After assessing chances to successfully apply a Moringa water purification project to the PSI program, we concluded that a submission would not stand a good chance because the financial criteria and ratio’s could not be met. As a follow up action ICCO decided to prepare a pre-proposal for submission to the ‘Partners voor Water’ (PvW) subsidy facility of Agentschap NL. Information from the draft concept note was used for this pre-proposal. Upon feedback from the PvW staff ICCO decided to consider submission at a later stage providing more time for building a partnership between the different partners. 2. Information sources The knowledge base on Moringa use for water purification is rather extended, although most research dates back to ten years or more. Several universities (Ethiopia, Sweden, United Kingdom - Leicester University) have done research and experiments, notably in Eritrea and Malawi. There are a few websites with regular information on Moringa (e.g. Moringanews). Development organizations such as GIZ have been active, and some others show new interest, such as the Dutch funded WASH alliance. Plant Resources of Africa (PROTA, see Bosch , 2004) provides a good overview of literature about Moringa, its uses, properties, productivity etc. 3. Moringa markets, products and productivity Moringa stenopelata and M. oleifera provide several interesting products, of which leaves and oil seem to be economically most attractive, according to many sources. The seedcake can be a cheap by-product after oil extraction. In several countries (e.g. Ghana) the local market for dried leaves and leave powder is well developed. Seed oil is used in shampoos and body lotions e.g. of the Body Shop. Figures about seed and leave production, oil content, costs and income are difficult to find. The collected data show productivity for leaves or seeds. It will be interesting to collect data on productivity under different management and harvesting regimes. This will inform on the optimal management system with regard to planting, pruning, harvesting and on realistic production levels. The available figures often reflect ideal conditions with regard to soils, rainfall, management, markets etc. In most cases these ideal conditions do not exist, and realistic forecasts have to be made based on prevailing local soil, climatic and farmer conditions. According to Bosch (2004), for semi-arid climates Moringa stenopetala may eventually become an even more important multi -purpose crop than Moringa oleifera. 4. Water purification We found numerous and extensive Moringa research and pilots in the literature which show good water purification performance and low cost seedcake supply especially if the extracted Moringa oil is extracted and valued. Schwarz (2000, Gate-GTZ technical Information) highly recommends Moringa for domestic purification in developing countries where people are used to drink contaminated turbid water. Given these promising outcomes, most of which date back at least ten years, one wonders why Moringa seed (crushed or seedcake after oil extraction) has not yet made a break through as natural coagulant and cheap and effective alternative for chemical coagulants such as aluminium sulphate and soda ash. Possible reasons may be (Schwartz, 2000):

• that the purified water is clear and drinkable but is not 100% pathogenic free (it may still carry few pathegonic germs or microorganisms);

• a secondary increase of the bacterial activity after the water coagulation could be possible; • that Moringa coagulant cannot yet be conserved for long periods and hence has to be made

fresh; • lack of adequate and reliable seed (cake) supply.

These assumptions merit further investigation.

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5. Partnerships As the use of Moringa for water purification is part of the WASH programme of ICCO and partners in Ethiopia, further exploration seems a logic step, if possible in a collaboration with private sector, the State governments, and other actors. When the FSAS consultant talked about the Moringa potential to Plan Netherlands, Plan showed interest and indicated that they work with Ethiopian water companies. 6. New value chain As only Moringa stenopelata leaves are used locally in Ethiopia, we do realize that it is a fairly new business and the value chains for most Moringa products need to be built from the beginning: linking chain actors, building reliability and trust, identify constraints and market based solutions. More information has to be collected about the technical and financial feasibility of different cultivation and processing models – especially of large plantations and decentralized outgrower-based systems. When elaborating business plans it will be important to distinguish between large scale plantations and small scale production by smallholders. Such data will inform investors and government policy makers. There are many issues that need to be addressed and elaborated upon when it comes to both large scale and small scale Moringa production. E.g. gender issues in terms of division of responsibilities and benefits between the sexes, land acquisition, competing rights on land, cultivation techniques, contract farming, organization and capacity development of producers, harvest, storage and collections systems, etc. Moreover a reliable production forecast is needed. Recommendations For further development of Moringa as a coagulant in water treatment it is recommended: to guarantee coagulant supplies of high quality, along with speedy fruit production, big size seed, and rich yields, cultivation all over the tropical belt should be coordinated by global exchange of seed materials from the most suitable clones, special breeding efforts and subsequent local application of vegetative propagation and grafting (Schwarz, 2000). To ICCO&KerkinActie we make the following recommendations: 1. To further explore possible partnerships in Ethiopia especially finding a water company that is

willing to take part in a water treatment pilot to test Moringa as natural alternative for chemical coagulants (large scale).

2. To explore if the use of Moringa seed(cake)for water purification at domestic level (small scale) is feasible and will increase drinking water quality in specific parts of Ethiopia.

3. Aspects that merit elaboration in a further study of the feasibility both at large scale and small scale (without pretending to be complete): experiences in Ethiopia and /or the region: who (and which role), what, where, how and which results, and minimal success factors and lessons learned. Potential for carbon sequestration and generation of carbon credits by Moringa plantations.

4. Further explore sources of funding for research and a pilot using Moringa in a water treatment plant.

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Annex 1: Key sources of information/References Literature Anon, . Farmers in the Kenyan Districts Baringo and Koibatek. BSc thesis.92 pp. Bertelsmann Stiftung, BTI 2010. Ethiopia Country Report. Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung, 2009. Bosch, C.H., 2004. Moringa stenopetala (Baker f.) Cufod. In: Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (Editors). PROTA 2: Vegetables/Légumes. [CD-Rom]. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. Foidl, N. Makkar H.P.S. and Becker K., 2001. The potential of Moringa oleifera for agricultural and industrial uses. What development potential for Moringa products? Oct 20th – November 2nd 2001, dar Es Salaam. 20 pp. Folkard, G. and Sutherland, J., 2001. The use of Moringa oleifera seed as a natural coagulant for water and wastewater treatment. Department of Engineering, University of Leicester, UK. Ghebremichael, K., (2004). Moringa seed and pumice as alternative natural materials for drinking water treatment. Heijden, T. van der, Hendriks F, Hoek, P, Lysen, G. and Meijers, R. 2011. Moringa oliefera for a healthy Future. Water purification using Moringa oleifera seeds. RSG Pantarijn, Wageningen. 23 pp. Holland Water Company, 2010. Brochure: Turnkey water technology. Imani Development/ Janeemo 2011. Janeemo Guide. 17 pp. Guide on Jatropha, Neem and Moringa production, management and market in Malawi. Mekonnen, Y. 1996. The multi purpose Moringa tree, Ethiopia. Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University. Mesfin and Yissehak, December 2009. Field trip report; to Bati and Showa Robit areas in Amhara Regional State, Oromia zone, Ethiopia. Moringa Development Research and Training, Center of Christian Action and Support, Kumasi, Ghana. 2007?. Moringa oleifera, leaflet. Ogoudadja, D. and Saint Sauveur, A. de, (year?). Technical and economic sheet on the conditions for production and marketing of fresh Moringa leaves in BENIN. Moringanews. Öhman, J. 2011. Cultivation and Management of Jatropha curcas L. by smallholders. Saint Sauveur, A. de, (2005?). Summary of production costs and profits from dried Moringa leaf powder in Togo and Benin (see complete sheets for details). MORINGANEWS. Saint Sauveur, A. de, (year?). Existing initiatives for the international marketing of Moringa leaves in their various forms. Moringanews. 6pp. Schwarz, D., 2000. Gate Information Service/GTZ . Water clarification using Moringa oleifera. Technical information W1e. Sutherland, J.P., Flokard, G.K., Mtawali, M. A., and Grant, W.D. , 1994. Moringa oleifera as a natural coagulant. 20th WEDC Conference: Affrodable water supply and sanitation. Colombo, Sri Lanka. P. 297-299.

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UNFCCC/CCNUCC, CDM Executive Board, 2009. Large scale oilseed crop cultivation at Yeji in the Pru district, Ghana. Project design document form for afforestation and reforestation project activities (CDM-AR-PDD) - Version 04. 118 pp. Websites www.moringanews.org www.treesforlife.org www.vita.ie

1 www.themoringa.com: enterprise sells Moringa products via internet www.akvo.org/wiki/index.php/Portal: Water Contains information about water technologies

1 VITA is an Irish Organization working on the Moringa Tree in the southern part of Ethiopia – around Arba Minch and Turmi. The website learned that VITA is mainly promoting planting of Moringa trees. VITA got an EU grant to develop and promote promising and efficient stoves and for a `miracle` Moringa project.