The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) partners stakeholders to boost Nigeria’s GDP through the development of gum arabic production. BINTA SHAMA reports.
About Gum Arabic
Research shows that Gum Arabic is a leguminous tree species that is well adapted to Sudan and Sahalian agro-ecology of Africa. Its major product which is also known as Gum Arabic, Acacia gum, meska, and desert gold of Africa is the dried exudate obtained from stems and branches of plant species in the form of dry, hard nodules. There are about 1,000 Acacia species found in Sub- Saharan Africa. Among the 1,000 species of Acacia, only a few of them produce gum of desirable quality or grade. These are Acacia Senegal, Dakwara, which produces Grade I Gum Arabic while Grade II Gum Arabic is produced by Acacia sieberiana, Dushe, Acacia seyal Farar Kaya and (Acacia saeta) and Grade III Gum Arabic by other Acacia spp,although, there are some non-Acacia spp that produce the grade III gum.
In Nigeria, the plant is said to grow in areas with rainfall range between 250-1000mm with temperatures between 20-400C. However, Acacia spp such as Acacia dudgeoni, Acacia gourmaensis and some species of Acacia sieberain are also found in Osun and Oyo states.
Gum Arabic has several industrial, social and other uses. It is used in the food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, paper, adhesives, paint and textiles industries. Globally, Gum Arabic is used as a stabiliser, a binder, an emulsifier or a viscosity-increasing agent. The addition of 5% gum Arabic to 10% sugar and protein in gelatinous mix derived from amino acid is used to bind expendable foundry cores for casting in USA and in the hot box production in United Kingdom.
Presently, no artificial or synthetic substitute has been found that can match Gum Arabic extraordinary foam forming and emulsifying quality.
Global shortage
The global Gum Arabic shortages in 1973–1974 and 1984–1985 led many companies to develop alternative formulations involving other hydrocolloids, such as starches or pectins, for partial or total replacement of the Gum. In the United States, non-dietetic hard and gummy candy makers nearly completely eliminated the use of Gum Arabic in the second half of the 1980s, in favour of readily available, less costly and only slightly underperforming starches. In confectionary coatings, the switch was only temporary, as manufacturer’s readopted Gum Arabic after starch reformulations proved inferior in quality. In the wine industry of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, Gum Arabic was found to produce a clarity that could not be matched by other hydrocolloids, in addition to providing a controlled flavour release .
Global industry analysis and forecast, 2017-2025, indicated that market, which presently worth nearly US$400million, will expand steadily at 5.4% CAGR. This is due to preference of naturally derived Gum in food and beverage industry, the growing application of the Gum as tablet binders, film forming and suspending agents in the production of pharmaceuticals coupled with the effective application of Gum Arabic in paper manufacturing, meat processing, textiles and processing of vegetable juices, etc.
Its financial benefit
Raw Gum Arabic export revenues increased from an annual average of $95.4 million in 1992–1994 to an annual average of $150.3 million in 2014–2016. Virtually all the raw Gum Arabic comes from Africa with Sudan accounting for up to 80% of the world production followed by Chad and Nigeria. During the same period, revenues from exports of processed Gum Arabic increased from $74.4 million to $192 million, 90% of which accrued to exporting countries in Europe. Whereas, the annual average exports value of processed Gum Arabic increased by 158% in the last 25 years, the annual average exports value increased by only 58%. In 2020, the world exports of processed “Gum Arabic” exceeded $189 million. Top exporters of Gum Arabic in 2020 France – 73% of the world exports ($139 million), Germany – 7.89% ($14.9 million), Italy – 4.39% ($8.33 million), USA – 3.77% ($7.15 million) and the Netherlands – 1.61% ($3.05 million). This shows the need for African countries to engage more in the exportation of processed Gum Arabic products. This is necessary to boost their foreign exchange generation capacities, more importantly, as Gum Arabic utilization is expanding globally. According to the Global Newswire, 2018, research indicated that towards the end of 2025, over 165000 tonnes of Gum Arabic will be consumed in the world, bringing in an estimated US$476.1million in revenues by the end of 2025.
Largest producer
In view of its wide production in Nigeria, experts believe that the country can become the world leading producer and exporter. As at today, Nigeria is the largest producer of Gum Arabic in West Africa. It is also the third largest world producer and exporter after Sudan and Chad. The major producing areas include; Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Bauchi, Adamawa, Kebbi, Gombe, Pleateau, Katsina and Zamfara. The largest amount of grade I is produced in the Borno, Yobe states and Jigawa States. The best type of grade II is from Plateau and Bauchi, while the best of grade III is from Bauchi State. Considering the high economic potential of Gum Arabic, the Government of Federal Republic of Nigeria has deliberately attempted to boost the production of Gum Arabic. To achieve this objective, policies and programmes aimed at promoting the cultivation of Acacia spp from which Gum Arabic is produced were initiated. To this effect, Acacia spp especially Acacia Senegal from which grade I Gum Arabic is produced is one of the eight tree crops considered for the National Accelerated Industrial Crop Production (NAICP) programme. Gum Arabic production is however on a decline. As at today, Nigeria is the fifth world producer instead of the second largest producer, which it was previously, after Sudan. Nigeria exports over 95 per cent of its Gum Arabic in raw form to Europe, Asia and United States, only five per cent is utilized locally.
Problems
The major problems militating against optimal production and processing of Gum Arabic in Nigeria include low market margin and efficiency of production, lack of processing facilities, adulteration of grades which results to poor domestic and international prices and poor marketing information. Others include inadequate finance and transportation problems as most rural markets are either not motor able or were in bad conditions. Currently, Gum Arabic production in Nigeria also faces challenges arising from insecurity in the growing regions, high cost of fencing Gum Arabic plantations to prevent trespass by herdsmen, climate change, insect pests, and diseases infestation.
To address this challenge, the Council has been in the vanguard of promoting plantation establishment of Gum Arabic in Nigeria. In the early 1990’s, the Council promoted the establishment of 5ha plantation of Gum Arabic in Maiduguri through the provision of improved planting materials to a number of private sector operatives among which is Alhaji Mohammed Kurama in Maiduguri and the University of Maiduguri, under its plantation establishment of indigenous economic wood species programme. The project led to the enhancement of the capacity of the university to mass produce improved planting materials of the plant species.
RMRDC intervention
To obtain accurate information on the status of Gum Arabic in Nigeria, the Council organized a national survey on Gum Arabic production and processing in Nigeria. The survey report indicated the need for improved planting materials to enable farmers establish more plantations locally. In view of that, the Council, in collaboration with the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), produced 6000 drought resistant A. senegal plantlets using meristem tip culture for the expansion of hectares under Gum Arabic production in order to increase the yield and ensure availability of improved planting materials to farmers.
The Council is also providing support for increased value addition and quality assurance with a view to creating market and employment along the value chain by organizing investors on Gum Arabic production and processing locally. In 2009, the Council organized the North-East Zonal Investors’ Forum on Gum Arabic Production and Processing in Jalingo, Taraba State. So far the Council has trained a number of farmers on Global Best Practices in Gum Arabic tapping and post-harvest management while in 2019, the Council hosted an interactive Session with Cashew and Gum Arabic Farmers Association at Borno Agric village.
