Moringa research and cultivation in Niger

Moringa is a vital and very versatile crop in Niger. It alleviates food and nutritional deficiencies and contributes to income generation. Research and development resulted in the introduction by ICRISAT of the high yielding cultivar 'PKM 1'. Producers were trained in cultivation methods and organized into farmer groups, and a range of moringa production systems were developed, particularly for use by women farmers. The CLUSA/USAID moringa project helped to double production in Niger over a period of six years; it is a model for scaling-up moringa production in neighboring countries. Moringa production is spreading in other Sahelian countries, but there is a need to increase effort for further dissemination.