Moringa saplings planted under EU nutrition programme

SUKKUR: The Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO) with the collaboration of different government departments, community Organizations and the Rural Support Programme Network (RSPN) have started plantation of over 12,000 Moringa saplings (commonly called Sohanjana) in Shikarpur, Larkana and Shahdadkot under the EU Programme for Improved Nutrition in Sindh (PINS).

Addressing on the occasion, the Project Manager Nisar Ahmed Pathan said they have started plantation of Maringa to overcome and malnutrition as well as to offset the effects of the climate change.

He said Moringa is one of the indigenous plants that grows fast, and almost the entire plant including its leaves, pods, seeds, flowers, roots, and even the bark have a high nutritional value. Pathan said the plant is rich in calcium, minerals, iron, and several vitamins. The seeds of Moringa are also being used in Ghana to purify water, he said.

He said people of the rural areas would largely benefit from the tree by using its timber for furniture making and using the flowers and fruits for edible purposes as well as fodder for the livestock. He said the plant also has medicine value.

He asked the people to plant Moringa which will help them against malnutrition, drought and climate change. The Moringa is also known as the “miracle tree of life” in Africa and other parts of the world where both the malnutrition and drought have posed a serious challenge to the communities.