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Reviving frankincense and
myrrh for livelihoods and
conservation in Ethiopia
A revival in the production of gums and resins
such as frankincense and myrrh could help
conserve forests and boost incomes in Ethiopia’s
impoverished drylands.
Dry forests provide fodder, fuel, medicines,
building materials and income. They also
restore soil fertility and prevent erosion and
desertification. The key to conserving these
forests, say CIFOR scientists, is understanding
the value of species that yield gums and resins
that have been collected, used and traded
since antiquity.
Oleo-gum resins are used in paper, ceramics,
cosmetics, ice cream, beer, toothpaste and
cough drops. Global demand for products like
gum arabic, frankincense, myrrh, opoponax and
gum karaya is growing, with Ethiopia’s exports
increasing from 1,648 tonnes in 1999–2000 to
more than 5,000 tonnes in 2009–2010.
CIFOR scientist Habtemariam Kassa and his
team discovered that adjusting the current
grading system for frankincense – to take
into account the essential oil content of the
resin – could strengthen Ethiopia’s bargaining
power in global markets. Kassa worked with
regional governments to ensure that farmer
cooperatives have better access to dry forests
and have a stronger say in the governance of
the market chain.
The team worked with a school of natural
resource management, the Wondo Genet
College of Forestry, to establish a master’s
programme in dryland forest management.
It also developed a manual on sustainable
frankincense production, which the Ministry
of Agriculture has translated into Amharic
and will integrate into the national forestry
extension services. Kassa also worked with
ministry officials on the National Forest Act and
its guidelines.
‘Once farmers, the public and the private sector
understand that there are major economic
incentives in managing forests properly, it
is likely to lead to better conservation and
livelihood outcomes due to better regulated
access to the resources and better quality
control in the frankincense market,’ Kassa said.
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