Moringa is so much more than the source of a trendy beautifying oil. For the people of northern Uganda, this sustainable resource represents the future.
In northern Uganda, just off a red dirt road that leads to the border with South Sudan, Betty Acan, a member of the Acholi people, has managed to coax a living from the ravaged land. She’s always been a farmer—sesame, mango, cassava—but these days, she’s focusing much of her effort on moringa. “It’s amazing,” Acan says, plucking a slender seed pod from the branch of one of her moringa trees. “I cook the leaves with vegetables, and I drop the seeds in my tea. It’s medicinal.
She’s not the only one enamored with these trees: The oil extracted from moringa seeds is prized for its beautifying powers and has made its way into many hair and skin products. But unlike palm oil, a beauty staple grown on vast plantations that have deforested more than six million acres of tropical rain forest, moringa oil comes from drought-resistant trees that actually help improve the environment—and the lives of the estimated 1.4 million Acholi who live in the country.
The solution is not as simple as letting this land grow wild. More people are moving into the region, increasing the need for land and food. And for many, like Acan and her family, who have been farming here for generations, agriculture is seen as the only way to make a living. “My father used to say, ‘If you don’t farm, you become a thief because there’s nothing in the house,’” Acan says.
As Acan moves through her farm collecting moringa pods, she explains that she won’t have to search for a buyer or a middleman to buy her harvest, as she would for other crops. Cosmetics company Lush has already stepped in to buy her moringa. In partnership with AlumAlum Rural Investments, Lush purchases moringa and sesame seeds from about 200 local farmers and is also working to promote agroforestry, the practice of growing tree-based crops like moringa alongside food crops.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Naima Ramos-Chapman To Direct Showtime Pilot ‘How To Make Love To A Black Woman’EXCLUSIVE: Naima Ramos-Chapman (Random Acts of Flyness) has been tapped to direct the upcoming Showtime comedy pilot How To Make Love To A Black Woman (Who May Be Working Through Some Sh*t), execut…
Read more »
Luann de Lesseps Speaks to Ramona Singer's Claim That She Still DrinksRHONY update: Luann de Lesseps is speaking out regarding Ramona Singer's claim that she's still drinking alcohol, despite going to rehab.
Read more »
Woman removed from American Airlines flight after smashing laptop on partner's headA fellow passenger told Yahoo Lifestyle that the enraged woman said 'a lot of hurtful and racist things' during her now-viral fight.
Read more »
The Painful Symptoms of Endometriosis Every Woman Should Be Able to RecognizeDoctors say the condition is incredibly hard to live with—but there are ways of coping.
Read more »
https://people.comGet the latest news about celebrities, royals, music, TV, and real people. Find exclusive content, including photos and videos, on PEOPLE.com.
Read more »
Trans woman who was refused waxing services kicks off identity wars onlineThe case of a transgender woman claiming that more than a dozen salons refused her service because of her gender identity is shining a spotlight on a myriad of issues, and inspiring heated discussion on Twitter.
Read more »