Farmers at Bechiwa in the Sefwi Asawinso District in the Western Region have received training in the use of Moringa leaves to make soaps and cream at a two-day workshop at the weekend.
The Moringa tree, apart from its use for high blood pressure, anaemia and malnutrition treatment, the leaves can also be used to make cosmetics and personal care oils to beautify the skin.
The training workshop organised by Trees for the Future, a United States-based non-governmental organisation and Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture (KITA), was aimed at providing adequate knowledge to farmers about the Moringa plant and its economic benefits.
Mr George Akomeah Ansah, a Technical Training Officer for Trees for the Future and KITA, took the farmers through the harvesting of the Moringa leaves and seeds, preparation of soap, powder and cream with the leaves as well as its nutrients and medicinal benefits.
He advised the farmers to generate interest in forming farmer groups to enable them to practice agro-forestry and forest gardening where they can harvest their raw materials for processing into Moringa powder, soap and creams.
Mr Ansah said the knowledge gained in Moringa processing would also bring economic benefits as well as generating income.
Mr Lovans Owusu-Takyi, Country Programme Coordinator for Trees for the Future and a Lecturer at KITA, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said his NGO is committed to improving the livelihoods of the youth and women farmers in the rural communities through the planting of fast growing beneficial and economic trees.
He said they are trained in appropriate agro-forestry technologies of conserving the environment, improvement in soil fertility while continuing cultivating crops to ensure that food security is not compromised.
Mr Cameron Callaghan, an American Peace Corps Volunteer in the area, provided technical support and supervision to the farmers group and assured the community of his assistance to enable them to make use of the training.
Nana Kwabena Adu, Chief of Bechiwa expressed gratitude to Trees for the Future and KITA for their efforts in helping to create jobs in the community through the Moringa processing project.
He encouraged the farmers to take the project seriously and urged government to come out with innovative programmes to support the communities.
