Gum Arabic Partnership with the Network for Natural Gums and Resins in Africa (NGARA)
Acacia trees play a key role in combating desertification and in enhancing the livelihoods of communities living in arid zones of Sub-Saharan Africa. Their roots are highly effective in reducing soil erosion and enriching the soil by fixing nitrogen. At the same time they are an important source of income for local communities.
Gum arabic, derived from Acacia trees, is a very versatile product which has multiple uses in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics and printing industries among others.
Improving the quality of gum arabic and increasing gum arabic trade would positively impact the livelihoods of dryland communities and create incentives for them to invest in the sustainable use and management of the land and natural resources on which they depend.
Building on the Operation Acacia Project of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) which created NGARA in 2000, and on other donor programmes which focus on Acacia, the GM is identifying opportunities for facilitating resource mobilization in four pilot countries: Ethiopia, Uganda, Mali and Burkina Faso.
The country-based initiatives aim to map out ongoing projects on gum arabic, pinpoint needs and constraints for enhancing trade and identify key actors involved and opportunities for engaging trade institutions and drawing on ongoing trade processes to foster investment in sustainable land management (SLM) through the sector development.
For more information, please contact:
Ms Eleonora Canigiani, Trade & Markets Strategy Officer
Tel. +39 06 5459 2734
e.canigiani (at) global-mechanism.org