Yobe Gum Arabic farmers advocate raising of shelter belts raising

Spokesperson of the association, Alhaji Jafaru Ayuba, made the call while fielding questions from newsmen in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital.He said: “Gum Arabic trees have high resistance to the harsh arid weather and can survive with less attention. Moreover, Gum Arabic has more economic value due to high demand in both local and international […]

Spokesperson of the association, Alhaji Jafaru Ayuba, made the call while fielding questions from newsmen in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital.
He said: “Gum Arabic trees have high resistance to the harsh arid weather and can survive with less attention. Moreover, Gum Arabic has more economic value due to high demand in both local and international market with improvement in the economy of the people.”
He urged state government to provide the Gum Arabic seedlings for planting on the proposed three hectares plantation in each of the 17 local government areas of the state.
“Governor Gaidam has directed for the establishment of three hectares tree plantation in all the 17 local government areas, we suggest that government should raise gum Arabic trees on these plantations,” he said.
He said that government should employ experts that could identify, procure and distribute the improved ‘Sudan’ variety of the Gum Arabic trees which grows quickly with little effort but produces high quality Gum Arabic.
He noted that the northern part of the state devastated by desert encroachment shared common dry arid condition with Sudan, making the tree most suitable for this environment.
The association commended government for re-establishing forest guards to protect the environment and guard against illegal felling of trees and hunting, adding: “We call for collaboration between government, Gum Arabic farmers, environmentalists and other Non Governmental Organisations for effective and efficient fight against desert encroachment in the state.”