Track 2-9-1: Alternative Use of Grasslands for Medicinal Plants, Biofuel and Wildlife Products
Description
Acacia senegal (Linn) Wild a member of Mimosaceae is a small tree of 3-6m in height with umbrella-shaped crown. It is a typical tree of Sahel in Africa from Senegal to red sea and essentially limited to the area between 110 and 160 North, with a wide range of rainfall 100 to 800mm. It spread widely in tropical Africa from Mozambique, Zambia to Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria, and in South Asia in India and Pakistan. In India it is a typical tree of arid regions with a low rainfall of 100-250mm. It is drought resistant and tolerates prolonged dry period of 10-11 months, with maximum temperature reaching 500C with strong winds, but susceptible to frost. It occurs mostly on sand stones and skeletal soils and widely distributed as interspersed species in most of the rangelands and grasslands in arid and semi-arid regions of India. World’s 90% gum Arabic is produced from Acacia senegal. The quality of gum is very superior as compared to gum from any other species of Acacia (Andreson, 1990). Nearly 90% of gum Arabic is produced by Republic of Sudan especially from (Kordafan). Production of gum Arabic is meagre in India, and contribution to the world production is negligible. The total annual output of gum Arabic is only 800 Mt compared to world production and consumption of 60,000-70,000 Mt. The domestic production is insufficient even for domestic consumption and more of it is imported from Sudan and Nigeria to meet India's requirements. Gum exudes from cracks in bark of trees, mostly in the dry season. In Sudan the annual yields from young trees ranges from 188 to 2856 g (av. 0.9 kg), and from older trees, 379 to 6754 g (av. 2.0 kg). In India, however, the productivity is low varying from 175 to 550g tree-1 year-1. The main gum producing regions of India where natural as well as planted stands of A. senegal occur are in desert and arid region of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, and Punjab. The gum yield from various Acacia trees in their natural habitat is very poor.
In arid and semi-arid region of India, particularly in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab and Bundelkahand, there is a good scope for extending area for large- scale plantation for production of gum Arabic. The area covered under forest, barren and uncultivable, pasture, oren (temple lands) and community grazing land etc, can be used for commercial plantation of A. senegal. The arid zone of Western Rajasthan is prone to frequent drought and famine and cultivation of gum Arabic can provide livelihood security to desert dwellers. A farmer who has planted 100 trees/ ha at spacing of 10 x 10 m can harvest about 25kg gum assuming average yield of 250g per tree. This would generate revenue of Rs 10000 ha-1 year-1 if, gum is sold at a minimum price of Rs. 400 kg-1. In addition, systematic commercial plantation of Acacia senegal can also provide employment to millions of people towards various planting activities and gum collection. According to an estimate of FAO, gum collection sustains about 0.3 million people and has huge potential of employment.
Integration of Acacia senegal in traditional grazing grounds such as orens and gochars, systematically raised silvopastoral systems and other agroforestry landuse for production of gum Arabic can be a profitable proposition. It will not only provide alternative livelihood options to local people but also increase economic viability and sustainability grasslands and pastures. In consideration of wide variations in gum production in respect to sites, annual rainfall and geographical locations, it imperative to study growth performance of A. senegal in different eco-regions and develop site specific models for optimizing production of gum Arabic. This study is a part of research efforts being made at Central Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi, which is one of the co-ordinating centres in the ICAR-network project on Natural Resin and Gums headquartered at Indian Institute of Natural Resin and Gums, Ranchi. The main objective is to develope suitable agroforestry models based on gums and resins yielding trees for Bundelkhand region. This paper presents growth performance of A. senegal in semi-arid region of Bundelkhand, Central India.
Included in
Performance of Acacia senegal L.: Untapped Wealth of Gum Arabic in Rangelands and Grasslands in Arid and Semi-Arid Region of India
Acacia senegal (Linn) Wild a member of Mimosaceae is a small tree of 3-6m in height with umbrella-shaped crown. It is a typical tree of Sahel in Africa from Senegal to red sea and essentially limited to the area between 110 and 160 North, with a wide range of rainfall 100 to 800mm. It spread widely in tropical Africa from Mozambique, Zambia to Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria, and in South Asia in India and Pakistan. In India it is a typical tree of arid regions with a low rainfall of 100-250mm. It is drought resistant and tolerates prolonged dry period of 10-11 months, with maximum temperature reaching 500C with strong winds, but susceptible to frost. It occurs mostly on sand stones and skeletal soils and widely distributed as interspersed species in most of the rangelands and grasslands in arid and semi-arid regions of India. World’s 90% gum Arabic is produced from Acacia senegal. The quality of gum is very superior as compared to gum from any other species of Acacia (Andreson, 1990). Nearly 90% of gum Arabic is produced by Republic of Sudan especially from (Kordafan). Production of gum Arabic is meagre in India, and contribution to the world production is negligible. The total annual output of gum Arabic is only 800 Mt compared to world production and consumption of 60,000-70,000 Mt. The domestic production is insufficient even for domestic consumption and more of it is imported from Sudan and Nigeria to meet India's requirements. Gum exudes from cracks in bark of trees, mostly in the dry season. In Sudan the annual yields from young trees ranges from 188 to 2856 g (av. 0.9 kg), and from older trees, 379 to 6754 g (av. 2.0 kg). In India, however, the productivity is low varying from 175 to 550g tree-1 year-1. The main gum producing regions of India where natural as well as planted stands of A. senegal occur are in desert and arid region of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, and Punjab. The gum yield from various Acacia trees in their natural habitat is very poor.
In arid and semi-arid region of India, particularly in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab and Bundelkahand, there is a good scope for extending area for large- scale plantation for production of gum Arabic. The area covered under forest, barren and uncultivable, pasture, oren (temple lands) and community grazing land etc, can be used for commercial plantation of A. senegal. The arid zone of Western Rajasthan is prone to frequent drought and famine and cultivation of gum Arabic can provide livelihood security to desert dwellers. A farmer who has planted 100 trees/ ha at spacing of 10 x 10 m can harvest about 25kg gum assuming average yield of 250g per tree. This would generate revenue of Rs 10000 ha-1 year-1 if, gum is sold at a minimum price of Rs. 400 kg-1. In addition, systematic commercial plantation of Acacia senegal can also provide employment to millions of people towards various planting activities and gum collection. According to an estimate of FAO, gum collection sustains about 0.3 million people and has huge potential of employment.
Integration of Acacia senegal in traditional grazing grounds such as orens and gochars, systematically raised silvopastoral systems and other agroforestry landuse for production of gum Arabic can be a profitable proposition. It will not only provide alternative livelihood options to local people but also increase economic viability and sustainability grasslands and pastures. In consideration of wide variations in gum production in respect to sites, annual rainfall and geographical locations, it imperative to study growth performance of A. senegal in different eco-regions and develop site specific models for optimizing production of gum Arabic. This study is a part of research efforts being made at Central Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi, which is one of the co-ordinating centres in the ICAR-network project on Natural Resin and Gums headquartered at Indian Institute of Natural Resin and Gums, Ranchi. The main objective is to develope suitable agroforestry models based on gums and resins yielding trees for Bundelkhand region. This paper presents growth performance of A. senegal in semi-arid region of Bundelkhand, Central India.
