‘Malunggay’ Eyed as Potential Biofuel Source

THE lowly malunggay, which is being eyed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) as a solution to hunger, poverty and chronic malnutrition suffered by women and children in the country is now also being considered as a potential source of biofuel.
At least two important government agencies will seriously look into the biofuel potential of malunggay oil and has extended the invitation to Secura International Corp. president and chief executive officer Danilo Manayaga to discuss the market possibility.
Secura, a local biotech company, has pioneered in the extraction of oil from the seed of malunggay, scientifically known as Moringa oleifera.
Marco Magpili Jr, vice president of the Philippine Agricultural Development Commercial Corporation, a corporate arm of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Dr. Dr. Virginia Teodocio, a consultant of the Department of Energy (DOE) and a member of the National Biofuels Board (NBB) asked Manayaga to make a presentation before members of their respective bodies after hearing the presentation of a team of graduating Masters of Business Administration (MBA) students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) which recommended the development of biofuel from malunggay oil.
The MIT team of ‘business experts’ validated Manayaga’s claim that malunggay oil has the potential of being a major source of biofuel, next to coconut.
Teodocio, who facilitated the massive cultivation of jatropha, locally known as tuba-tuba, was amazed that the massive cultivation of Moringa can produce massive amounts of oil that can boost the supply of raw materials needed to produce the amount biofuel the country needs.
On the other hand, aside from its potential as alternative to fossil fuel, Magpili wants to know whether malunggay can be intercropped with coconut, taking note of its potential to boost farmers’ income, with the supply of seed, as well as leaves for food and feeds.
He wants to know whether the oil produced from a Malunggay seed can pass international standard, such as the European and U.S. standards for vegetable oil.
Aside from being a “healthy oil” because of its characteristic of having low transfatty acid, malunggay oil can also be used for personal health-care products, for cooking, or diesel oil, like coconut.
The seed of malunggay is 36 percent oil. Using biotechnology, pure oil can be extracted from the seed, according to Manayaga, a chemical engineer.
Secura, which is promoting the massive cultivation of malunggay, is being supported by the DA Biotechnology Program Office (DA-BPO) which has strategically positioned itself for the massive cultivation of the “miracle tree”to help fight hunger poverty and chronic malnutrition suffered by women and children in the Philippines .
Just recently, the DA-CARAGA Region has adopted mlunggay as the chief crop for its “One house, One vegetable” program. In Manila , the DA-BPO launched its urban farming program dubbed “Malunggay in the City” which encourages the massive planting of malunggay in the backyards of the metropolis.
The local biotech company said it is willing to buy malunggay seeds for the production of Moringa oil, requiring at least 500,000 hectares of agricultural land planted to malunggay. (biolife news service)

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