Rome, 5 March 2007 - With help from FAO, farmers in six sub-Saharan countries have been able to increase their income from the sale of gums and resins and to restore degraded land.

In Burkina Faso, Chad, Kenya, Niger, Senegal and Sudan, FAO launched in 2003, a three-year pilot project with the financial support from the Italian government to help local farmers to restore degraded land by planting native Acacias that produce gums and resins - important products for Sahelian people's livelihoods.

For their adaptation to poor soils and arid and semi-arid climate, Acacia species are common and important trees in this region, where land degradation is a serious problem. Acacia trees are important fighters against the advancement of deserts, the tree tops intercept wind and rain drops, and the root systems are effective in reducing land erosion. In addition, they restore soil fertility as they fix nitrogen and are an important source of fodder.

At the same time, Acacia trees produce gum arabic, which is a valuable natural product for a large range of industries, including the food and pharmaceutical industries. In the food industry, the gum is used to thicken, stabilize and emulsify food and drinks. It is also used in diet products against obesity. The pharmaceutical industry uses it to bind tablets and as a suspending and emulsifying agent in creams and lotion. This forest product is an important component of inks used in the press industry. Gums and resins are therefore important sources of revenue for people in this region, who are usually the poorest and most vulnerable to hunger and malnutrition.

Despite the tree's economic and environmental importance, the farmers in the region still used traditional production methods. As a result, they could not produce gum and resin at a quality high enough to sell at international markets at a desirable price. The production and commerce of the gum and resin had not evolved sufficiently at the local level.

In order to plant more of the species, FAO intervened and first tested new methods of harvesting rain water in this water scarce region. It also trained about 56 000 producers of gum arabic and resin on ways to improve their production to meet international market standards. FAO helped the farmers develop new markets and encouraged producing countries to cooperate and organize themselves, to prevent international buyers from putting the producers in competition against one another and reducing the price. To guarantee a stable supply of the goods, FAO supported the establishment of warehouses to store unsold gums and resins.

As a result, more than 13 000 ha of degraded land have been restored. This has improved animal feeding and reduced conflicts between farmers and shepherds. The mixed cropping of Acacia trees with tomatoes, sesame and beans has boosted the growth of both. The sale of gum and resin overseas has brought in much-needed cash to the region and helped the farmers diversify and increase their sources of income.

"The local response was overwhelming. The people benefiting from the project were both surprised and pleased with what they saw and earned," said Michel Malagnoux, an FAO forest expert responsible for the project.

Based on the success of the pilot project, FAO plans to expand it to other Acacia growing countries.