There is no any doubt that global climate is on the threat, climate is deteriorating the mean average annual temperature is increasing, extreme seasonal change is also evident and in the same way food security is in peril. What many scientist has predicted that climate change has the major impact on the poor and the marginalized people and country. And Nepal is also one of threatened country by this prediction, and for the suppression of this various intervention may requires out of which moringa cultivation offers a holistic solution to address this problems.

In a sense, it is quite absurd that 70 per cent of the world’s food supply comes from just three grains, i.e., corn, wheat and rice, and 80 per cent of our plant-based food intake comes from just eight grains and four tubers. According to the FAO, our present agricultural system is responsible for about 14 per cent of the green-house gas production. So, there is a dire need for an alternative and good back-up for the present food monoculture.

Moringa (Moringaoleifera), also known as “miracle tree” or “drumstick” in English, “Sheetalchini’” in Nepali, originated in India, and gradually dispersed to Asia, Africa and South America. The absolute number of people facing chronic food deprivation has increased to nearly 821 million in 2017, from around 804 million in 2016. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and other international humanitarian relief organisations have used moringa to combat malnutrition in many parts of the world because it is a nutrient-rich plant, which could substitute other mainstream food crops and solve the hunger problem.

Moringa is a very fast growing tree and grows easily and rapidly. It is also known as a “Never die” plant because of its adaptability to the weather, soil and other environmental variation. It can thrive well in semi-arid, tropical and subtropical areas, however, it cannot stand the chilling climate. The heavy flushes produced by the trees even during the dry season act as good sink for carbon dioxide absorption and utilisation, thus reducing the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is one of the major causes of ozone layer depletion and global warming.

According to a Japanese study in 2009, the rate of assimilation of carbon dioxide by the moringa tree was 20 times higher than that of general vegetation.

It is estimated that if moringa is extended from 100,000 hectares worldwide to 1 million hectares, it would sequester about five billion metric tons of carbon in their trees. Also it helps to reduce dependency on forest for other fuel wood.

Nepal, with 23.38 per cent of its people under the poverty line and being highly vulnerable to climate change, has wide scope for moringa plantation. At present, not much research has been done on moringa cultivation. Imminent threats from food security and climate change could be addressed if initiation for systematic and scientific research as well as extension of the moringa is done at different agro-climatic regions of Nepal. It can bring about a positive upheaval in the existing food realm, and the process can even mend the environment. Thus moringa is a win-win.

References:

https://thehimalayantimes.com/opinion/moringa-for-food-for-climate/