Turkana plans to tap gum arabic income

Turkana County government has rolled out plans to transform gum arabic production into an income generating activity for locals who can easily access two predominant acacia species - Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal.

County deputy director for natural resources Pauline Pusiye said gum arabic — a natural product collected from stems or branches of hardened sap from the two acacia species — is used as stabiliser in soft drinks and food. She added that it is also used as an ingredient in non-food items that include paint, medicine and cosmetics.

Ms Pusiye said the devolved unit has entered a two-year AfriFi Kenya Challenge Fund with Acacia EPZ and Self Help Africa to explore gum arabic economic potential in Turkana.

Acacia EPZ is an export company that sources, processes and exports gum arabic through a network of collectors across the northern arid lands of Kenya.

She said through partnership with the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (Kefri) and Kenya Forest Service, they would identify and train local gum arabic traders and collectors across the county on how to improve quantity and quality of the harvested commodity, locally known as ng’iminae.

"We want to step up the currently under developed supply chain of gum arabic in Turkana. Harvesters are mainly pastoralists who only collect the commodity while in the grazing fields with little knowledge of how lucrative this venture is. The two-year pilot project with the two private entities will introduce modern harvesting techniques and link the collectors to ready market," said the county official.