"Moringa for Nutrition

A majority of Kenyans suffer from hunger and malnutrition. The increasing population, decreasing farmland, and weather variability caused by climate change has led to insufficient food production. These, together with inefficient food systems has led to increased hunger and malnutrition. 

To mitigate this, we intend to provide a cheap and sustainable source of food nutrients to the vulnerable using the abundantly available Moringa Oleifera. This plant is known for its nutritional values and healing wonders. This underutilized natural resource was never thought in ways that can make it as a source of income or livelihood. We intend to produce Moringa capsule as food supplement and source of vitamins, porridge flour as nutritional supplement for the malnourished, liquid fertilizer for agriculture, topical ointment to cure skin diseases and allergies, and herbal iodine powder to treat wounds and rashes. These products can be used locally and globally if production is scaled.  

Hunger and malnutrition are global problems recognized by the UN (SDG 2 - Zero hunger). Malnutrition causes nearly half of all deaths of children under five years globally, while chronic malnutrition leads to stunting. In Kenya, 29% of children in rural areas and 20% in urban slums are stunted. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are a severe public health problem, and some 1.5 million people living with HIV have their nutritional status undermined by their condition. 

Hunger and poverty are intertwined, the estimated poverty rate in Kenya is 36.8 percent, down from 43.7 a decade ago. Yet a rapid population growth has led to a rise in the absolute number of people living in poverty and suffer from food insecurity. Access to adequate quantities of nutritious food remain a challenge for many especially in Arid and semi arid areas which make up 80 percent of Kenya’s land. Climate change and stagnating agricultural production contribute to food insecurity.  

Moreover, inefficiencies in food systems – the networks that are needed to produce and transform food, and ensures it reaches consumers – leads to high price and inefficient market supplies, limiting the availability of, and access to, food

MoringaforNutrition seeks to add value to Moringa Oleifera by processing the leaves and seeds into various products using simple technology, and make the products available at affordable prices. The goal is to support improved community nutrition and improve livelihood. 

The process will entail drying and dehydrating fresh Moringa leaves. The leaves are gradually dried with hot air fan at 50 to 60 degrees centigrade using a cabinet drier. Once dried, the leaves are then milled using a pulverizing machine. The powder produced forms the raw material for further processing into the various products.

Moringa is abundantly available along the shores of Lake Victoria and Western parts of Kenya, but has not economically benefited the farmers. In this project, we intend to establish an out-growers scheme where we will contract smallholder farmers to supply us with Moringa leaves and seeds. We will recruit, and support new farmers with farm inputs such as seedlings and fertilizer to ensure a consistent and adequate supply of leaves and seeds to scale.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), organic Moringa leaves powder is high in protein and other essential (micro)nutrients. Our products will be made available widely through a chain of distributors.

A good majority of the Kenyan population find themselves in dire nutritional need as a result of extended severe droughts and back-to-back failed harvests before hordes of desert locusts descended on crops and pastures in December/early January. The COVID 19 pandemic has equally disrupted the food supply chain and made livelihoods untenable. Therefore, there is an increased vulnerability of a large population and a potentially high demand for nutritional support. 
Our initial target market was the school feeding programs, rehabilitation Centers, and orphanages in the 5 counties in western Kenya. However, because of the COVID 19 pandemic and closure of schools and other institutions, we will target the vulnerable in the community. Instructively, poverty, and the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in this region make the population highly vulnerable. There is an estimated 5.6% HIV prevalence among adults and antiretroviral therapy (ART) being taken by 61% of clinically eligible people, and a large of the number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in foster homes, this demographic requires higher nutritional support relative to the rest of the population. 
Because of the high nutrient value in Moringa including protein, essential Vitamins, and iron, we will also target pregnant and lactating mothers. 

Value addition of product is not new and is carried out in many different ways, this project seeks to transform leaves and seeds of Moringa Oleifera a plant well known for its nutritional and medicinal value, and make the products available to the vulnerable including those who may not be able to access it. Moringa Oleifera has been part of the diet and natural home remedy medication for many people for many years, yet nothing has been done in Kenya to make it available to a wide population and for its long-term use. Our simple technology of drying, crushing, and parking will preserve the potency of the leaves but ensure they can last longer and for wide distribution. 

Many organizations including, governments, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations, have had initiatives targeted at nutritional support and food insecurity. However, most have been geared toward transient food insecurity and malnutrition, for instance during disasters or pandemics. Our intervention is targeting chronic food insecurity rooted in poverty. Moreover, most of the interventions source their foods from elsewhere including imports, while we will produce locally supporting local farmers and improving the community livelihoods

Finally, we will ensure caring capacity by responding promptly to nutrition needs and nurturing physical, psychological, and emotional well-being, which, in turn, will benefit nutrition and health. 

This project will employ a simple technology of drying, crushing and packing for value addition. We will also use social media and web based platforms for publicity. 

Drying and crushing to make powder is not a new technology and has been used in various other processes for decades, if not centuries  

First and foremost, the community targeted in this project experience chronic food insecurity characterized by a persistent inadequate diet caused by the continual inability of households to acquire needed food, through both market purchase and production. With the availability of cheap raw material, our intervention will make nutritious food available to a majority of the population at affordable prices. We aim to reach most of the vulnerable, including people living with HIV. In the long term, we hope that the incidences of stunting in children will significantly reduce as well as the eradication of severe acute malnutrition - the most life-threatening form of hunger. 

Second, the government and other donors only provide support during crises, In our implementation, we will ensure “caring capacity”. Thus, using local resources (including human), our interventions will prompt nutrition needs as well as nurturing physical, psychological, and emotional well-being, which, in turn, will benefit nutrition and health.

Third, the use of Moringa is localized to only a small region of the country despite its immense benefit, mainly due to lack of information. In our intervention, we will carry out community outreach to sensitize the people about the benefits of Moringa. We will also ensure that the nutrients content is well labeled on our products. This will ensure an improved use of the products, and equally, spur interest in the cultivation of Moringa.

Finally, food insecurity and malnutrition are exacerbated by inefficiency in food systems. The value addition to moringa leaves and seeds will transform it into products that are durable while maintaining the potency. Additionally, by contracting farmers we will ensure that there is sufficient availability of raw material for optimal production, which will equally improve farmers' livelihoods. Lastly, is distribution challenges, which is not only about connecting farmers to consumers but also allocating the foods accordingly. In the current system of food distribution, rural population in Kenya lack convenient access to markets.  To increase market access for both ourselves and the consumers, we developed the concept of “mobile markets” a market on a locomotive that will travel between various rural areas and city slums.

Current people we are serving 500

The number we'll be serving in one year 20000

The number of people we'll be serving in five years 100000

Our goal within the next year is to make available through the market value chain, our affordable products to up to 5000 of the vulnerable population. We hope to expand our production within five years and reach up to 100000 people. With the growth in production, we hope that more people will, directly and indirectly, benefit in terms of a consistent source of income and improved livelihood.

The most outstanding barrier is financial. Also, the value chain has been disrupted by the COVID 19 pandemic, therefore there has been dificulty in the access of raw material as well as distribution of the finished product to our target population. 

With support from grant and other donors, we hope to bridge our financial deficit and grow to serve the target population. We hope to that with the opening up of the economy and restoration of livelihoods more people will be able to access our products. We will organize community out reach forums and capacity building sessions for both farmers and the general population on the benefits of Moringa and specifically our products  

Full-time 4

Part-time 3

Consultant 1

We have a team of highly skilled and experience professionals. The team leader for this project is an expert in agricultural economics with a PhD in agriculture value chain. He has more than 10 years experience implementing various projects for non-governmental organizations. 

The team also has a nutritionist and food security expert with vast experience in the health sector. 

We equally have a practicing lawyer to assist in legal matters.

Lastly, myself as the delegate (CEO), I'm experienced in governance and policy, as well as project management, with over 10 years experience working in government, the private sector and non-governmental organizations.  

Our current partners are majorly small-scale farmers who we contract to plant moringa tress and deliver the leaves and seeds to us. We currently partner with 5 local farmers.

There are a number of barrier that Solve can help us overcome, this include financing that would enable us to shore up our production and distribution; capacity development in business operations to enable us improve our efficiency and market value; and mentor-ship   

Considering the areas in which we need partnership our main goal would be

• Build capacity in business models, product development and strategic planning
• Support marketing and communications strategies that would allow us reach all our potential customers
• Build connections to investors and grantors to progress their fundraising strategy
• Support in building a robust financial monitoring including revenue 

We would like to partner with both MIT faculty and/or initiatives as well as Solve members

Food security, self-reliance, material support, and other needs determine the underlying causes of nutritional insecurity amongst the refugees. There is often a likelihood of an increase in negative coping strategies to meet dietary and economic needs, including child labor, prostitution, and illegal activities. Nutritional support and food security are therefore important in promoting refugees’ resilience and integration. Our solution intends to provide this.

By making available the highly nutritious moringa flour and supplements we would enhance refugees’ coping mechanisms. In our community-based intervention strategy, we will involve refugees in the distribution of the products. Moreover, since our solution uses simple technology, this Prize would enable us to set up and carry out the processing of the products on-site in refugee camps. Thus, we will not only enhance “caring capacity” - the ability to use human, economic, and organizational resources for the benefit of the refugee community, but also generate livelihoods.

Lastly, inadequate food or lack of nutritional rehabilitation may generate direct or long term risks in refugee camps including, compromising of security by riots, demonstrations, or violent behaviors, refugees may take risks to acquire food, or adopt unsafe coping strategies and these may adversely affect feeding and care (including breastfeeding) of infants and young children. Moreover, malnutrition is likely to cause long-term effects, such as impeded growth or development. This Prize, therefore, will enable us to provide the necessary nutritional support to mitigate these adverse social injustices and human rights issues and shore up refugees’ integration and inclusion.

Our solution is focused on improving nutrition for the vulnerable population. More often, women and girls are adversely affected by food and nutritional insecurity. 

Indeed, malnutrition is one of the most persistent barriers to women's and girls’ empowerment. Many factors make women and girls more susceptible to malnutrition – starting with physiological to gender inequality, cultural practices, education, finance, and access, among others. Overall, malnutrition limits the capacity of women and girls to grow, learn, earn, and lead. Using a simple technology and widely available raw material, our solution provides a practical intervention to support and improve women's nutrition.  

To thrive, women need different nutrients and different amounts depending on the stage of their life. For instance, pregnant women often suffer from Anaemia (iron deficiency), therefore, our products containing high amounts of iron will ensure healthy pregnancies. Similarly, good nutrition is important in the adolescent stage of a girl’s life because of rapid growth. By providing nutritional supplements and flour we aim to ensure optimal physical and mental growth of girls, giving them the strength and focus to study, work, and prevent diseases. 

This Prize will enable us to improve and increase the production and distribution of our products to vulnerable women and improve livelihoods. Further, the Prize will enable us to carry out community sensitization and capacity building on food and nutritional security. Our intervention will equally help in preventing negative coping strategies by vulnerable women to meet dietary and economic needs, including child labor, prostitution, and illegal activities.