Combating malnutrition through innovative agroforestry practices

INTRODUCTION

In most rural areas and especially in the drylands of Kenya the twin problems of malnutrition and environmental degradation are endemic. Both of these challenges need to be addressed collectively. The overiding reason for poor nutrition in most rural households is due to over reliance on a diet primarily composed of maize and beans both of which lacks in key nutrients notably the essential amino acids, fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, & K), Ascorbic acid, Calcium and others.  Any group of people that overwhelmingly derives its nutrition from plant sources faces the risk of missing out on key nutrients,  unless the dietary choices are made and food blended in away that optimizes the various crops that happen to be well endowed with key nutrients inadequate consumption of which contributes greatly to a malnourished population ( mothers and children are often the most vulnerable). Poverty is the other reason for poor nutrition as people are unable to purchase animal derived rations that are naturally rich in essential nutrients. Poverty also contributes greatly in environmental degradation as people over exploits their natural resources especially trees and bushes to meet their livelihood challenges.

THE CONCEPT

Innovative agroforestry practices that have elements that addresses malnutrion, forest cover increament and and high value cash crops can go along way in reversing this trend among the rural poor.

Horse radish tree (Moringa oleifera) is a multipurpose tree with incredible nutritional credentials. A unit weight of dried leaves of this tree has  all the essential amino acids neccessary fora human diet, it got more calcium than that in an equivalent weight of a cow's milk, more vitamin C than the citrous family, more pottasium and other micro nutrients than other good sources like the green bananas and appreciable amountS of Vitamin A (lack of which is the leading cause of impaired night vision and glandular problems). Other parts of the tree are equally helpful; the seed is used in water purification ( clouded water is a big concern amongst the rural people) as well as a source of highly sought after seed oil, the flowers have anti inflammation properties, the bark produces an expensive blue dye and the  roots have a medicinal value.

This tree hence should be adopted as the crop of choice when promoting agroforestry crops in the drylands of Kenya. If Moringa oleifera is picked as the primary crop then yet another food crop with impressive nutritonal distinction should be selected as the accompanying food crop. The giant pumpkin( Cucurbita maxima) is an excellent source of vitamin A, carbohydrates and its seeds are known to stabilize hypertensive patients. Its one of the most impressive converter of solar energy into food and also preserves soil moisture due to its biomulching attributes due to its broad leaves. Pumpkins fetches very good prices in urban  retail outlets as they are embraced by middle class urbanites as good food for weaning infants.

Both the horse radishtree and pumpkins are very good source of fodder as well as bee forage. Both are good candidates for value addition especially through drying, grinding into flour, blending and packaging either as mixed flour in satchets or in pellets that can be sold to relief agencies to onward distribution to vulnerable and malnourished populations.

By adopting this sort of innovative agroforestry strategy we can redifine how agroforestry is practiced as well as help households access vital nutrients for optimal well being and vitality, stem environmental degradation through offering alternative source of income generation and also easen the pressure on animal derived products as the only sound source of holistic nutrition.

Already in the drylands of Kajiado disrict Kenya a pilot on the above outlined concpt is underway. The plan is to run a pilot in a 10 acre block, then once all the agronomics have been worked out start propagating seedlings in a controlled tunnel. Once there are enough seedlings for both crops start with 2 groups in Kajiado and Kitui districts,  move into extension and diffusion and finally into value addition and marketing.