Uses of tree species producing gum arabic in Karamoja, Uganda

Abstract This article presents an inventory of the uses of the tree species producing gum arabic by the local community in the Karamoja region. The study was conduced in 2000 using semi‐structured interviews, focal group discussions and participants’ observation. There were three tree genera with a total of six species that produced gum arabic. These were Balanites aegyptica , Acacia senegal , A. seyal , A. sieberiana , A. gerrardii and Lanea humilis . The dominant species producing gum arabic were A. senegal (85%), A. seyal (87%) and A. sieberiana (70.5%). Other uses by the local people included fencing, fuel wood, poles, crafts, medicine, intercropping, fibre and extraction of tannin. The intensity of utilization for fencing, fuel wood and poles was higher than that of gum arabic production. The local uses of gum arabic were food, gumming spears, gumming pots, gluing arrows, gluing broken stools, calabashes and joining leather. Establishing and facilitating the conservation status of these tree species are important for maintaining and even increasing the provisions for the local uses by the local community in Karamoja.