The Managing Director, Eden Moringa, Mr. Michael Ashimashiga, says about two million farmers will be needed to partner with his agricultural outfit in cultivating a Moringa plantation.
Speaking with Newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, Ashimashiga said his recently inaugurated factory would reduce unemployment and help create wealth for Nigerians.
He said that moringa farming as a wealth creation activity would help Nigeria tackle its unemployment and poverty challenges.
Ashimashiga said the factory needed at least two million farmers to feed it with raw materials.
“If we can get two million people properly engaged in moringa farming, this country will be saying goodbye to unemployment and poverty.
“I can assure you that cultivating one plot of moringa is like 20 plots of rice because what one plot of moringa plantation will give you, 20 plots of rice may never give you.
“One plot of moringa gives you N50,000 every month, one hectare will give you N500,000 every month. How many hectares of rice can you cultivate to generate N500,000 every month for life?” he asked.
Ashimashiga said that Moringa could earn Nigeria more revenue than oil as an export product if only the government could encourage the youth to go into Moringa farming as a way of keeping them engaged and away from crime.
He said that Nigeria could earn more than N100 billion annually from Moringa farming.
Ashimashiga said that Eden Moringa recently got NAFDAC numbers for four of its products E-Moringa Tea, E-Moringa Powder, E-Moringa Cake and E-Moringa Oil.
“These products are among the best in their category, showing we are more committed to best quality because we know we are dealing with human health,” he said.
Ashimashiga called on the youth and other people to go into Moringa plantation to be able to feed the factory with enough raw materials, noting that Moringa farming was one of the most profitable ventures.
The National Coordinator of Moringa farmers, Dr Shuaibu Adamu, also spoke on the new Moringa factory.
Adamu said that everything about moringa was about wealth creation and advancement of wellbeing of the people in terms of good health.
“All we are doing here is about wealth creation and the advancement of healthy living. We now have license to export these products from this factory to any part of the world.
“Four products of Eden Moringa have already been licensed by NAFDAC and for us to effectively feed this factory with raw materials, we need millions of farmers to go into moringa farming,” he said.
