Moringa as a Pathway Out of Poverty: MORINGA Project Results (2017–2022)

Between 2017 and 2022, the MORINGA project — “More Income Generated for Poor Families in Indonesia” — set out to prove that a hardy tree could become a pathway out of poverty for some of eastern Indonesia’s poorest farming families. An independent end-of-project evaluation, completed in 2022, documented the results.

The Challenge

Poverty remains a chronic issue in rural eastern Indonesia. In the project’s four target provinces, a large share of the population is poor or near-poor, and most families depend on agriculture. Incomes are held down by inefficient cultivation, a lack of quality inputs, poor infrastructure and long supply chains.

The Approach

Led by Wahana Visi Indonesia and World Vision Australia with funding from the Australian Government (ANCP), MORINGA used an inclusive market systems development approach across several value chains — including moringa, pili nut, maize and horticulture. The aim was to build lasting links between smallholder farmers and committed private-sector buyers.

The Results

The evaluation found that the project successfully increased household incomes, with farmers gaining better prices through both existing and newly introduced buyers. Just as importantly, the project advanced women’s economic empowerment — women took on roles as intermediate service providers and processors, opening new streams of income and a stronger voice in their communities.

MORIFA is proud to be part of this story as a moringa off-taker partner. By sourcing moringa from these communities, MORIFA helps turn the “Miracle Tree” into reliable income for families — aligning a growing export business with real, measurable impact on the ground.

Source: World Vision Australia, “More Income Generated for Poor Families in Indonesia (MORINGA) — Indonesia Impact Brief (2017–2022).”