Productivity of labour and capital in gum gardens in Western Sudan

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This study aimed to assess the labour and capital productivity of Gum Arabic Producers Associations (GAPAs) based on the performance of GAPAs in North and West Kordofan States, where 14 GAPAs were selected for a case study. More specifically, the study aimed to: i) estimate the productivity of gum gardens per hour worked (hrs/ha/yr) and per dollar invested ($/ha/yr), as well as their capital productivity ($/$), and ii) analyze the relationship between productivity and gum arabic revenue and gum production. To achieve these specific objectives, the following questions were highlighted: i) What is the productivity of gum gardens and how can it be estimated? ii) How can productivity influence gum arabic revenue and gum production? Primary and secondary quantitative and qualitative data were collected to answer these questions. The primary data were collected using face-to-face interviews with a random sample of 338 household heads, group discussions, and 38 interviews with key informants. Data analysis relied on mathematical equations for labour and capital productivity, and regression analyses of the relationship between productivity and gum revenue were employed. The results revealed that capital productivity is low in Alkhowi (9.3) compared to Shiekan (18.5) and Umrawaba (24.1) Localities. Labour productivity per hour worked and labour productivity per dollar were low in Shiekan compared to the other localities. The regression findings show that labour productivity per working hour and per dollar significantly influenced gum revenue. The main conclusion is that labour and capital productivity play an essential role in assessing the performance of GAPAs and are influenced by many factors. The study recommends that government and NGOs provide production inputs and ease marketing services to enhance capital and labour productivity.