Moringa olifera, besides meeting humans and animals nutritional needs, as has been studied by international medical researchers, it can cure 200 different diseases, says Mr. Habte Arefayne, General Manager of Diamond Agro Industry.

Taking its myriad uses in nutritional and medicinal sectors inconsideration and as it grows best in arid conditions and a drought-tolerant plant, the investment is recommendable, he added. Moringa can be cultivated in most of Eritrea’s arable land, hence if the investment has taken seriously, Eritrea can have a share in the exportation of Moringa products to regional and international markets, he notes.

Established in 2006, Diamond Agro Industry aims to fully utilize the plant and fulfill the nutritional and medicinal needs of humans and animals. Also the extraction of Moringa oil, tea leaves and other value added products for local and regional markets was also part of objectives explains Mr. Habte. A private agro-industry firm, it was started with little capacity of 20 hectares of farmland. In due time it has widened its activities and currently the agro industry is cultivating 100.000 plants of Moringa in 100 hectares of farmland in Adi Omer, Tessenei Sub zone.
The agro industry main products are edible oil extracted from Moringa seed kernel and tea leaves and various kinds of animal feed. Diamond’s newly introduced machines can squeeze 180 quintals of Moringa seed kernel to oil, i.e. 7500 liters of Moringa oil per day. This means 45% local edible oil demand can be met by it, he says. Besides, as the seed kernels are also used in the manufacturing of perfumes it has a long term plan to export seed kernel to France.

Moringa oil, besides being an edible oil, it also is used in body and hair care as moisturizers and skin conditioners in the cosmetic industries. Its high cosmetic value makes it widely demanded in the international markets.

‘Mortea’ the agro industry’s Moringa tea leaves has been on sale in the Eritrean festival 2009 and aftermath. The response has been tremendous and the firm received significant suggestions which could able the agro industry to standardize its product and contacts has been established with foreign companies, adds Mr. Habte Arefaine who earlier engaged on tea leave packaging ventures.

Such contacts will enable us to engage ourselves to process Moringa tea which incorporates various flavors to mention but a few lemon flavor, strawberry flavor, ginger flavor, apple cinnamon flavor and mint flavor.
According to Engineer Iskinder Berhane, food technologist and nutrition consultant, the newly introduced moringa tea leaves in Eritrea has several advantages, be it in health and economy. The leaves are processed through stringent quality checks using proprietary process so as to preserve the essential nutrients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Protein, Calcium and Potassium.

Kenya has been known for its export on tea leave. Like wise, if we increase our products and standardize the production process and packaging according to HACCP, a standard that controls the safety and preservation of food stuff and pharmaceuticals, and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), which emphasize the hygienic preparation of consuming products like tea leaves, it’s possible to enter in the regional market and in due time to international markets, he noted.

A recipient of a recognition certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Habte continues, Moringa has been cited as a ‘miracle tree’ for none of its parts are discarded thus all parts including the byproducts are usable for humans and animals respectively. Parts of this plant such as the leaves, roots, seed, bark, fruit and flowers are full of nutritious particles ranging from vitamins to minerals. From the dozen of Moringa species, the agro industry selected Moringa olifera as it grows best in the country.

Moringa, with 90+ nutrients, is the best source to nourish the body with the essential nutrients. Dried Moringa leaves contain 4 times of Vitamin A in carrot, 17 times of calcium in milk, 15 times of potassium in banana, 0.5 times of Vitamin C in orange and 25 times of Iron in spinach, reads a paragraph at a medical website.
Medical doctors use parts of the Moringa tree to treat diabetes and high blood pressure. Also it can rebuild weak bones, enrich anemic blood and enable a mother to nurse her baby. It is also used as an agent for purifying water. Moringa’s powder can also be given with DMK, a nutritive food both for adults and children for better results.
In a televised program aired at the Eritrean TV last week, Mrs. Tekea Habte, a home science teacher in Anseba region, said that Moringa leaves can be also cooked in various recipes as a supplementary dish in our daily lives. “Its flavor might not be different with other dishes, yet as Moringa leaves are one of the most nutritious part of the tree, if served freshly, beside being a suitable substitute, it can be a cure for hundreds of diseases,” she says.

Apart from the job creation it created to about 120 employees, the agro industry, a pioneer in its kind and on such scale in Eritrea, has been cited as an exemplary to other potential investors and many are in the process of establishing a joint venture on Moringa and Jatropha plantation says, Mr. Fikreyesus Gilay, coordinator, Community Forestry at the Ministry of Agriculture. After the launching of Green Campaign in the country three years ago, in which so far 12 million seedlings were planted, the Ministry has been campaigning on the significance of afforestation in general and the use of Moringa in particular. The investment in Adi Omer is a result of such campaigns and the Ministry has been offering assistances, continues Mr. Fikreyesus.
Some of the potential investors attracted by result include investors from Italy, he added.

“The Italians are considering for investment on large scale plantation on Moringa and Jatropha and such investment will naturally benefit the country in all aspects,” Mr. Fikreyesus, continued. So far the agro industry has exported its products to several countries and the response is encouraging says Mr. Habte Arefayne, General Manager of the agro industry.

Such investment for it creates a job creation and generates hard currency, it’s a timely responsibility of the concerned governmental and non-governmental bodies to assist and promote such initiatives, concludes Mr. Fikreyesus Gilay.