Speakers - 2026

Title: Gum arabic collection as an entrepreneurial agribusiness for sustainable livelihoods in adamawa state, nigeria

Abstract

The growing challenges of climate change, land degradation, and rural poverty in Adamawa State, Nigeria, underscore the need for sustainable resource utilization strategies. Gum Arabic collection offers a viable opportunity for enhancing economic livelihoods, environmental protection, and sustainable development. This study examined Gum Arabic collection as an entrepreneurial agribusiness and its contribution to sustainable livelihoods in Adamawa State.A combination of purposive and random sampling techniques was used to select 184 respondents from Demsa and Numan Local Government Areas. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using both descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means) and inferential statistics (gross margin analysis and multiple regression). Results showed that Gum Arabic collection is male-dominated. Collectors were predominantly married, with a mean household size of 8 persons. The mean age of collectors was 43 years, with an average of 13 years of experience in gum collection. The mean quantity of gum collected per collector was 4,312.55 kg. Gross margin analysis revealed a total revenue of 40,540.50, total variable cost of 4,590.35, and a gross margin of 35,950.15 per 50 kg bag. Income from Gum Arabic was mainly used for household feeding, payment of school fees, and investment in petty trading and farming activities.Multiple regression analysis indicated that the independent variables explained about 61% of the variation in the quantity of Gum Arabic collected (R2 = 0.6059). Age, years of experience, and distance to collection sites were the significant determinants of the quantity of Gum Arabic collected. Major constraints identified include security challenges, poor gum prices, and inadequate road networks.The study recommends that government and non-governmental organizations should promote organized Gum Arabic plantations by providing improved planting materials. This would boost production, enhance sustainable livelihoods, and support environmental conservation in Adamawa State.

Keywords: Gum Arabic, collection, sustainable livelihoods, gross margin, entrepreneurial agribusiness, Adamawa State, Nigeria.