CONFERENCE - Tuesday, May 2, 2006
UNDERUTILIZED PLANTS
Their Role in Preventive Medicine, Nutrition, and Sustainability The Moringa Tree (Moringa oleifera): Consider the Possibilities
BALBIR S. MALTHUR
President, Trees for Life SUMMARY
The leaves of the Moringa tree (Moringa oleifera) have been used for centuries in traditional folk medicine. Clinical studies are suggesting that these leaves may indeed have great nutritional and medicinal value. Many potential beneficial uses of Moringa leaves have been discovered, from human nutrition and medicine to animal fodder, plant growth stimulants and other agricultural and industrial uses. This wide range of potential benefits makes Moringa a worthy subject for further scientific investigation. BIOGRAPHY
Born in India in 1935, Balbir Mathur grew up in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. After receiving his Masters degree in Political Science from the University of Allahabad, he came to the United States in 1958. While studying business management at Wichita University, he started an import business. In 1970 he formed an international consulting firm, which specialized in joint ventures between American and foreign corporations. That business involved extensive travels around the world. On one such trip, Mathur had a visionary experience which transformed his life.
In 1980, Mathur dedicated his life to fight world hunger and left his business career to found Trees for Life. Trees for Life is a nonprofit, people-to people movement. It demonstrates that by helping each other, people can unleash extraordinary power that enriches every life. Its mission is to create hope through a movement in which people join hands to break the cycle of poverty and hunger and care for our earth.
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