More gum good for Sudan
31 October 2006
Expanding the production and export of gum arabic will greatly benefit the farmers, environment and the economy in Sudan in the longer term. Yet this will only be the case if the current political instability is resolved, as this expansion will only be profitable if there is a considerable increase in the sale price and government support. Sudan will also have to cooperate more with competitors in the region. These are the conclusions of Dutch-sponsored researcher Afaf Rahim following her study of gum production in the Sahel.
Rahim investigated which socioeconomic factors influenced gum production, within the subsistent gum farms in Sudan as well as on the international market. Extending the gum production to fallow land is a lucrative opportunity for Sudanese farmers, suggests Rahim. According to her calculations, the average annual benefits for gum forestry are higher than the minimum required critical value for investing in gum tree planting and expanding the gum forest into bare lands. Moreover gum trees counteract desertification. That is desperately needed in the Sahel, where the gum production has decreased over the past few decades due to deforestation and drought. As a result of this Sudan risks losing its leading position on the international market.
Price increase of 330 percent
Rahim calculated that the sale price of gum must rise by at least 330 percent for it to be profitable for farmers to switch land use from the continuous production of annual crops to gum agroforestry, in which the gum tree is rotated with other annual crops. That would, however, require structured government support in the country, where a civil war raged for many years and where political unrest still reigns. This political instability blocks extra investments in the gum production from both the government as well as the farmers. Moreover the farmers earn a higher income from the cultivation of other agricultural products and other activities.
Internationally, Sudan would be wise to cooperate with its competitors Nigeria and Chad, says Rahim. The three countries could considerably strengthen their market position and make larger profits with a joint production and export strategy. This would require Sudan to focus on high-quality gum and Chad and Nigeria on low quality gum. Nigeria and Chad would then have to limit the expansion of high-quality gum production. Sudan could then compensate these countries for their financial losses as a result of these restrictions, suggests Rahim.
Gum arabic is obtained from the bark of African acacia trees. The gum is used, for example, in confectionery, cosmetics, soft drinks, medicines, fertiliser and paint. The main uses of gum arabic are based on its properties of emulsification, adhesiveness, binding and stabilization. Low quality gum has inferior emulsifying properties and contains tannins, and therefore fetches a lower price on the international market. Rahim's research was funded by the Foundation for the Advancement of Tropical Research (NWO-WOTRO).
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Meer informatie bij:
- Drs. Afaf Rahim (Wageningen Universiteit)
- t: +31 317 484 255, Afaf.Rahim@wur.nl
- promotie 20 november
- Promotoren prof. E. C. van Ierland, prof. dr. R. Ruben, copromotor Dr. J.H.H. Wesseler (WUR)
