Uganda may benefit from the export of gum arabic to the United States of America under the African Growth Opportunity Act (Agoa) if the samples there pass the functionality tests.

The success of the tests will open the door for Uganda to export directly to the US duty and quota free market under Agoa, where apparels are already being exported.

This is contained in a paper by Ugandan scientists titled 'Agroforestry Development in Uganda's dry lands' that was presented recently at a workshop at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in Nairobi.

Dr Willy Kakuru of ICRAF, Mr J Okorio of the Forestry Resources Research Institute (FORRI) and Mr Clement Okia of the Uganda agroforestry Development Network authored the paper.

According to the paper, it has been confirmed that Uganda has reasonable quantities of Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal trees used for the production of gum arabic, which has a high demand the US.

The trees grow wildly in Uganda's dryland regions, especially in Teso and Karamoja, stretching up to the Sudan. The trees grow in about 36 districts of northern, south western and central Uganda, most of, which are relatively dry areas.

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