2018-02-05Staff Report 2 Albertina Nakale Windhoek-The Neudamm Experimental Farm of the University of Namibia has, through extensive studies, found that the use of Moringa oleifera is a nutritional and medicinal supplement for goats. Moringa oleifera is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Moringa, which is the only genus in the family Moringaceae. These findings came from a research that was undertaken by a Unam doctorate student, Morlu Korsor under the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources over a four-year period from 2014 to 2017. The general objective of his study was to determine how to improve goat production at Neudamm Experimental Farm, and Namibia at large, through the production and use of Moringa leaves as a nutritional and medicinal supplement by livestock farmers. More importantly, the study also revealed that Moringa oleifera-leaf supplement reduced gastrointestinal parasite load of goats especially when fed at 10 percent (150g) and 20 percent (300g) levels of daily dietary intake. Furthermore, the findings further indicated that Moringa oleifera has positive indirect effect on development of pre-weaning kids when mothers are fed at 10 percent (150g) and 20 percent (300g) of Moringa oleifera dry-leaf supplement. Korsor’s findings at nursery level showed that Moringa ovalifolia emerged and established faster than Moringa oleifera, but Moringa oleifera had higher extent of survival. However, at the field level, he found out that Moringa oleifera grew faster in heights and produced more leaf-dry matter compared to Moringa ovalifolia; but, had almost equal extent of survival. Nutritionally, Korsor discovered that Moringa oleifera and Moringa ovalifolia contained equal nutrient compositions. In an interview, Unam spokesperson Simon Namesho said Korsor will on Wednesday present his dissertation on the use of Moringa as a nutritional and medicinal supplement for goats to the public. “He is going to present his findings to the public and how it’s useful as well as how it can be produced at mass production and in what quantity. Our aim is to do research over a certain period of time which we can then use or hand over to an agency that can mass produce or they can involve the university to help produce or publicise about the output of the research,” Namesho noted. Moringa has a direct impact on health, nutrition, agriculture, water, sanitation, biodiversity and environment. Now, there is an interest from entrepreneurs for the Moringa tree, because all its parts are not only used for nutritional and pharmacological properties, but also to purify and clear water. Moringa is a tree native to India and cultivated in all sub-tropical areas. Though Moringa oleifera is most common, there are a dozen other known species within the genus, which means they share the same underlying biochemical structure. 2018-02-05Staff Report 2
