For generations, pastoral communities in northern Kenya knew no other source of livelihood than livestock. To them, the acacia tree was nothing more than a source of wood, fodder and shade.
Little did they know that they were sitting on hundreds of thousands of acres of unexplored treasure, capable of changing the fortunes of a region characterised by hunger and poverty.
The acacia contains gums and resins that are in high demand among global firms that manufacture soft drinks, paints and cosmetics.
It is projected that the trees in the northern region of Kenya are worth billions of US dollars and locals in Marsabit, Wajir and Madera counties are preparing to take the plunge into the lucrative trade in gums and resins, which are basically dried sap from specific acacia trees.
The two products appear ordinary to many people, but interestingly, they are in your favourite fizzy drink — be it a product of Coca-Cola or Pepsi. They are also an important component in the making of cosmetics and pharmaceutical drugs.
The products of immense value both in the international and local markets, fetching more money for locals than major export products such as tea and coffee.
For instance, the lowest paying products currently being collected from northern Kenya are Frankincense and gum, which fetch between Sh150 and Sh200 per kilo. The best paying product is opoponax commonly referred to as sweet myrrh. It is mainly used in making medicines, especially in Asian countries. A kilo of the product costs between Sh900 and Sh1,500 locally.
An added advantage of the recently discovered venture is that the acacia trees actually churn out the best quality products under stress and with very little rainfall. This means that dry seasons will no longer be dreaded as the locals fully embrace the industry estimated to be worth about Sh100 billion.
“Previously we did not know how important the trees are and how well we can benefit from gums and resins. Some middlemen buying for exporters came and introduced the idea and we realised that we have a lot of wealth besides livestock,” Wilfred Longelesh, a resident of Laisamis in Marsabit County, tells Enterprise.
Locals previously chewed the gum for leisure and burned wood of specific species for its nice scent during traditional ceremonies.
Today, the largely Rendile Community in Laisamis Sub County has formed Laisamis Gums and Resins Marketing Association, a cooperative group that markets and trains locals on four key products from four species of the acacia tree.
The most common of the products is gum Arabic which is collected from the acacia Senegal species. The gum, which is a dried sap from the acacia Senegal tree species, is used as a bonding agent and emulsifier in soft drinks such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi. It keeps the sugar from separating and crystalising after bottling.
It is also used as a binder for pharmaceutical drugs, sweets and chewing gum as well as cosmetics.
To collect the gum, locals are trained to make a small cut on the trees and leave the sap to ooze and solidify for about two weeks before collecting. At optimal conditions, the best trees can produce up to 1.5 kilos daily.
“We cut and leave the trees untouched for about two weeks. This gives the gum enough time to solidify and this gives the best quality,” Mr Longelesh says.
Through the local association the communities are able to sell the gum collectively for between Sh150 and Sh200.
Gum Arabic is a huge product especially in Europe and America where Sudan is the largest supplier, accounting for up 70 percent of the global supply. According to a report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Sudan exported two thirds of the gum globally in 2018.
So crucial is the product to the world beverage industry that the US exempted it from the economic sanctions it imposed on Sudan in 1997. The country earned over Sh8 billion ($80m) from exporting 41,397 tonnes of gum Arabic in 2011. As of mid-2015, the gum had earned Sh5 billion ($50m) for 34,000 tonnes of the product.
Myrrh and frankincense are two other key products fetching millions for northern Kenya residents. The two are used in production of essential oils and cosmetics. Like the Biblical gifts given during the birth of Jesus, the two products are known for their unique scent.
Myrrh is harvested from Commiphora Altisiana species of the acacia tree. Its harvesting is done similarly to the gum as it is also a dried sap from the acacia. Locals call it Hur and was traditionally used as an acaricide.
“We apply this on cows to get rid of ticks. Incidentally, it is used by industries to make acaricides,” Mr Longelesh explains.
Due to high demand, myrrh fetches up to Sh550 per kilo locally.
Frankincense is a product of the Bosoellia Neglecta acacia species and is used by industries to make perfumes. The Rendille community refer to it as Luban and is burnt during traditional ceremonies for its scent. In modern communities, the wood from the tree is burned to produce scented smoke used commonly by Catholic priests during mass.
The product fetches between Sh120 and Sh200 locally. Recently, the locals were introduced to a new product from the Commiphora Holtziana species. Sweet myrrh or opoponax are in high demand especially by Asian countries.
Gum and resin exporter and expert Tommaso Menini says China has created a huge demand for opoponax, which is used to make traditional medicines.
“Chinese agents have been setting up in Kenya looking for the sweet myrrh and they are willing to pay highly for it,” Mr Menini says.
Locals who harvest myrrh have been selling it for up to a staggering Sh1,500 per kilo. But this is still too low compared to the Sh4,000 per kilo it fetches in the global market.
Taking into account acacia’s massive potential, pastoral communities in the northern counties are working to fully adopt it as an alternative source of livelihood.
So popular has the venture become that traditionally nomadic communities have minimised their movements and reliance on livestock to take up the business.
“While men move to look for pasture, the women left behind take up the gum and resin business. This way we do not have to rely on selling animals for money. There is also extra money from the gums to buy food and pay school fees for children. This is an absolute game changer,” says Laisamis resident Wilfred Longelesh.
Currently through the help of non-governmental bodies such as World Vision, the communities have started forming associations and cooperatives in a bid to create a direct link with buyers in the global market.
Mr Fidel Wambiya, a market systems advisor at World Vision, says the biggest challenge for the locals has been sensitisation on quality and creating market linkages that will fetch communities the best prices.
“The aim for us is to first sensitise and educate the locals on the value of the products. Besides, we are helping them come up with collection centres in the community-owned woodlands where they can aggregate, sort and sell the products as one unit. This way they get bargaining power and go for the highest bidder,” Mr Wambiya explains.
Like any other export product in the country, middlemen and brokers are a concern for both locals and exporters and efforts are being made to “minimise the levels of exchange” between the collectors in the villages and international buyers.
“Middlemen do not necessarily add value to the value chain but some are important in linking collectors to the buyers. The way it works for communities is putting up agents on the ground who will guide the locals on the quality and make sure payments are made on collection,” Mr Menini notes.
Another emerging challenge is the lack of regulations and policies to govern the gums and resins trade and the government’s lack of knowledge of the newly discovered venture in the North. Lobbying is underway to create policies both at the county and national government level.
However, some traders remain jittery of the level of taxation that may be imposed on the trade considering its potential income.
“Policies and regulations will definitely smoothen the trade and this will be beneficial to the locals and the buyers as well. But the government will need to be considerate on the taxation so as not to hurt players in the venture,” Mr Menini says.
Marsabit County Government has already taken interest in the venture, providing technical training on environmental conservation of the trees to ensure sustainability of the business.
Assistant Director of Environment and Natural Resources, Janet Ahatho says the venture has been captured in the County Intergrated Development Plan mainly focusing on capacity building and conservation of the environment.
“We are working with bodies like World Vision to learn and train our people more on this venture. We are also working to sensitise communities on conserving and protecting the trees to ensure the business will be sustainable,” she says.
While Sudan remains the leading exporter of gums and resins, experts like Mr Menini are confident that Kenya has the potential to battle it out for top spot.
“Sudan has also embraced plantations of acacia to supplement the already available woodlands. Kenya on the other hand has barely scratched the surface with the naturally-available trees. With a proper plan and government intervention, Kenya has great potential in this industry,” he says.
Kenya can also take advantage of perennial conflicts in Sudan to surge ahead in the gums and resins exports.
