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Species Name
Moringa
oleifera1
Family
Moringaceae
Local Name(s)
Aleco (Konsogna), Shiferaw (Amargna),
Kalan'gi (Hamer-Bena), Ben-oil tree, cabbage tree, horse-radish tree (English)
General description
A
deciduous tree to 10m, usually smaller, pale feathery foliage. M. oleifera
originates from India, Arabia and was introduced to Ethiopia long ago. The tree
is now naturalized in many parts of southern Ethiopia and has also been tried
elsewhere with varying success. Konso people plant M. oleifera around
their homesteads and also in the terraced fields.
Edible part(s),
preparation methods and palatability
Leaves,
tender young capsules, immature seeds, fruits and roots are edible. The young
leaves are collected, cooked and eaten like other vegetables. The young roots
can be collected and used as a sort of spice. But care should be taken by
using the root as a food because the root bark contains poisonous alkaloids.
Also the fruits are edible even though they are less important than the
leaves.
Nutritional
value
The leaves are said to contain important amounts of iron and other
valuable nutritional elements.
Agroecology
The
species originates from Northern India but it is cultivated throughout the
tropics, especially in arid areas. It is a very drought resistant and valuable
tree. M. oleifera requires well-drained soils with a high water table,
but is drought resistant. Occurs at low altitudes in Dry and Moist Kolla
agroclimatic zones (500 – 1,600m).
Propagation
Method(s)
Direct sowing, cuttings, seedlings.
Sample location
(s)
(1)Konso,
(2) Humbo & (3) Bedesa (SNNPR);
(4) Alduba (Hamer-Bena, South Omo)
Remarks
M. oleifera is a typical multipurpose
tree species with a high economic potential. Besides its leaves' palatability,
the tree produces a number of other useful products. The 'Ben-oil' from
the seeds keeps its quality and so can lubricate precision machinery like
watches. It is also used for salad oil, soap and cosmetics. The ground-up
seeds have been successfully used in the Sudan, Burundi and Kenya to clear
muddy water - a very valuable property. But leaves and the fruits are also
used for medicinal purposes and livestock fodder. Furthermore the tree
is used for bee forage, soil conservation, shade, windbreak, live fence,
boundary marker and for fibres.
In
Konso the leaves are traded on local markets in bundles offered for 10 cents
each.
Parts
of the following description have been taken from Bekele-Tesemma et al.,
1993: p. 316/317and
Maundu et al., 1999: p. 181
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