Developing the Gum Arabic Sector In Niger and More:

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Developing the Gum Arabic Sector In Niger and
More

• A challenge for ASI (Achats, Service
  International)

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History of Creation and Intervention Areas

• Created in 1983 by two school mates B. Wankoye
  and Th, Dulon of Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de
  Marseille
• Intervening in Gum Arabic, Tiger nuts, Cowpea
  Roselle, Peanuts, Onion, milk ,wheat floor
  sectors from production to processing and
  Industry
• Production and buying row products are mainly
  done in West Africa while the global market
  conquest and Industrialization are concentrated
  in France

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ASI, a pioneer in Gum Arabic Sector
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Potential of the Sector In Niger

• In 1979, Gum Arabic exports from Niger reached
  2,600 tons. However, during the following
  decades, these exports decreased severely while
  the global markets demand is increasing. To
  overcome these constraints, among other
  initiatives, the Government of Niger has launched
  with the financial and technical support of FAO,
  a National Gum Arabic Promotion Strategy. This
  increasing global demand advises to plant A.
  senegal, the main Gum Arabic producing tree. This
  will ensure its regular supply as well as its
  conservation. This growing demand of Gum Arabic
  makes it also a remunerative alternative crop to
  the traditional ones (whose demand and production
  have decreased the past years) for small
  stakeholders.

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Rehabilitation of degraded lands

• Land degradation is a major constraint to crop
  production in the Sahel where 80 of the
  population relies on Agriculture and other land
  resources as the main sources of income.

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A difficult Starting

• When ASI group started to collect gum Arabic from
  small-scale farmers, it faced two major problems
• An insufficient market supply
• A bad quality gum ( the true Gum Arabic being
  mixed with other gum and resins)

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Solutions to the problems cited above

• 50 ha of gum Arabic trees planted around Niamey
  and elsewhere mainly from Sudan and Chad
  provenances
• Thousands of seedlings given free to farmers for
  planting

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A Major Challenge

• When ASI started planting Gum Arabic trees, the
  promoters had no background in this matter
• Eight (8) years later ASI was able to produce 72
  tons a year from its own plantations
• Despite of this, it is still facing the low Gum
  yield per tree and the general land degradation
  status

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Sudanese germplasm in ASI Field
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ICRISAT Gum Arabic Project A unique chance for
the sector

• Developing the Gum Arabic Sector in Niger

Beginning with a Research and Development Pilot
Project and Alliance Building ICRISAT
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Project Background

• The current project funded by USAID over three
  years seeks to promote income generation and land
  rehabilitation in Niger via a Research and Action
  program activities to build a public/private
  alliance that will result in gum Arabic tree
  plantations on degraded lands. It aims also to
  train farmers in better gum Arabic production
  practices. They will benefit from their land
  rehabilitation Action and from Gum Arabic
  production for the global market.

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Main Research lines

• With such a promising potential, ICRISAT is
  conducting research topics ranging from
  propagation methods to harvesting and processing
  techniques, and germplasm collection and genetic
  improvement to quality control and marketing
  (Payback arrangements between collectors and
  traders).

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Research Actions undertaken By ICRISAT

• Genetic Improvement
• Degraded lands rehabilitation
• Multiplication of useful annuals to be combined
  with gum Arabic plantations

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Selection of high yielding A. senegal germplasm
By ICRISAT In Collaboration with ASI

• ASI has planted two fields of A. senegal in the
  vicinity of Sorey, mostly with Sudanese
  germplasm. In field 1, the measurements of Gum
  Arabic production of selected trees started on
  February 13 and ended on April 10, 2004. In field
  2, the measurements started on April 06 and ended
  on April 12, 2004.

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Grafted A. senegal ICRISAT
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Rooting trial of A. senegal in ICRISAT green
house complex
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Principles of degraded land rehabilitationICRISAT

• A mix of useful trees and shrubs (A. senegal,
  Pommier du Sahel, Sweet Tamarind, A. colei,
  Boscia senegalensis, Senna, Henna, etc)
• A mix of useful annuals (leafy vegetables,
  grains, medicinal plants, forage plants)
• Zero grazing (cut and carry only)
• Participatory planning , implementation and
  monitoring
• Ownership and direct/quick income

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Useful annuals multiplication site ICRISAT
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Conclusions

• The collaborative project ICRISAT/ communities
  and Private and Public sectors and will surely be
  of high contribution to the land rehabilitation
  systems and Gum Arabic germplasm collection and
  improvement in Niger through
• Improvement of local germplasm through vegetative
  propagation methods
• Demonstrations of integrated degraded lands
  bioreclamation systems
• Demonstration of socio-economic and environmental
  sustainability and profitability of degraded
  lands
• Broader partnerships and public/private alliances.

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More on ASI Niger
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Onion, another promising sector
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Traditional Storage Facility
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Modern Storage facilities under construction
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Merci beaucoupThank you