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CNI is one of the main sponsors of AIDGUM : the International Association for the Development of Natural Gums. AIDGUM was created 25 years ago, to help Sahelian African countries develop production of Gum Acacia.
AIDGUM for 25 years has been helping the existing producting countries by being active to develop new producing zones, investigate and develop various Acacia specifications and varieties producting better functional quality to better fulfill the market demand.
As producing countries were not organized for that purposes, AIDGUM has helped them promote trade, represent them and defend them among food regulation agencies as FDA in the USA – European Commission – Japanese FDA – Codex Alimentarius and has been very helpful to define and characterize gum Acacia as well as conduct studies, bibliographies and feed the agencies with appropriate documentation and publish.
Today AIDGUM represents 14 Acacia producing countries, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania.
HEADQUARTERS AND STATUS
Aidgum Permanent Headquarters are:
AIDGUM
129, chemin de Croisset – BP 4151
76723 Rouen cedex 3
Tel : 02 32 83 18 18
Fax : 02 32 83 19 19
The registered name of the Association under French Law is the “International Association for the development of Natural Gums“ abbreviated to AIDGUM .
OBJECTIVES
The aims of AIDGUM are the following :
• to present and submit to governments and national or international Agencies, the recommendations and resolutions put forward by the Association,
• to undertake and promote all measures leading to successful development and improvement of natural plant gums from both terrestrial and aquatic sources,
• to promote meetings and seminars; to provide a forum where experts, individuals and organizations concerned with the collection, distribution and technical or scientific research into plant hydrocolloids, can meet and exchange views and information .
• to provide scientific and technical asistance particularly to organizations and groups,
• to collect relevant papers or scientific, technical and statistical materials, so that information from written, printed and audio-visual sources, etc. concerning seaweed and plant gums for phytocolloids, relative to their professional interests may be placed at the disposal of members,
• To promote and cooperate in the training of specialists in gum producing countries, by means of practical instruction and tuition in universities in France and other countries, and in the research laboratories linked to the Association .
• For these purposes, the Association will acquire, build, lease or rent such fixtures, fittings and premises necessary for the achievement of these objectives and will also supervise their management .
SHORT HISTORY OF AIDGUM (FORMERLY AIDHERO)
AIDHRO was created in June 1974 as a non profit making Association with its head office in Rouen, with at its major objectives, to provide scientific and technological support to Forest and Agricultural Departments in gum producing countries .
In 1975, an experimental nursery plantation of acacia gum trees was created in kayes (Mali)
In 1983 first report by AIDHRO to ITC recommending mechanical grading and processing of gum Arabic in port Sudan . After various missions in 1985 and 1986, and a Feasibility Study, a processing and grading unit funded by Denmark trough ITC was set up in Port Sudan in December 1990 .
In1983 studies of gum Arabic plantations projects in Upper Volta after various missions for UNSSO .
In 1984 the first Acacia in-vitro plant laboratory was set up in Marseilles to work on genetic improvement of Acacia for gum production .
In 1985, AIDHRO' s name was changed to AIDGUM , reflecting its growing emphasis on gum development
1987, creation of AIDGUM NGO Mali and AIDGUM senegal .
1987, launching of the operation “trees for the Sahel”
1987-1989, Biotechnology project financed by the European Development Fund “Etude sur la biotechnologie et le développement pratique des Acacias gommiers au Mali » in liaison with INRZEH (Institut National de la Recherche Zootechnique Forestière et Hydrobiologique), Sotuba, Republic of Mali .
In1988, Chad, Ministries of Tourism and planning pre-feasibility study for a project of development of Acacia gums with inauguration of a plantation .
In 1988, feasibility study of gum training centre : “Centre de formation aux techniques d'exploitation des Acacias gommiers - lutte contre la désertification en zone sahélienne par la réhabilitation des Acacias gommiers » for the french ministry of cooperation .
In December 1990 / January 1991 a mechanical processing and grading unit of gum arabic funded by Denmark through ITC was finally installed in Port Sudan . This was the result of various missions by AIDHRO for ITC dating as far back as 1983, when AIDHRO first recommended such a unit, and a final feasibility study in1987 . AIDGUM experts supervised tenders, construction and installation of the unit in Port Sudan and training of Sudanese technicians .
In march 1991, succesfull presentation and defence of the existing “Gum Arabic Characterization and definition” at the last codex alimentarius held in the Hague, where AIDGUM experts represented French and European Professional Associations and the five main Gum Arabic producers, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal and Sudan .
EXEMPLES OF INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS ORGANIZED BY AIDGUM
- International Symposium on the production, Uses and Commercialization of Gum Arabic , 11-15 June 1979, Dakar, ITC / UNCTAD / GATT
- InternationalSymposium on 6, 7 and 8 May 1982 in Bendor Island, France
- Seminar on the Gum Tree and Gum Arabic , 18-22 April 1983,
St Louis du Sénégal, UNDP / UNSSO / ITC / UNCTAD / GATT
_ - National Seminar on the Gum Tree and Gum Arabic , 5-9 January 1984,
Bamako, DUEFF / CMCE / UNSSO
- Third Symposium on the Gum Tree and Gum Arabic , 25-29 October 1988,
St Louis du Sénégal, UNDP / UNSSO / ITC / UNCTAD / GATT
- International Conference in El Obeid, Islamic Republic of Sudan
- Gum Acacia, or Food Ingredient for the Future ,
21-23 February 2001 Néfta, Tunisie, AIDGUM / AAMHA / FAO
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES
“The Marketing of gum arabic- Production Marketing Uses”
ITC, Geneva, 1977 .
“Major Markets for Guar Gum” ,
ITC at the demand of the Indian Processed Foods Export Promotion Council, 1982 .
“The Gum Arabic Market and Development of Production” ,
Updating of the 1977 gum arabic market study at the demand of ITC, 1983
“Recherches histologiques sur la gommose des Acacias” ,
Thèse, Miss M. Mouret, 1982
“Etude de la structure et de la biosynthèse d'un exsudat naturel de plante d'importance industrielle : la gomme arabique d' Acacia senegal ”
M. G. Ullmann, CERMAV, 1982
“Acquisitions récentes dans les domaines des hydrocolloides végétaux naturels” ,
International Symposium in Bendor, France, 6-8 May 1982, ICOL, Presses Universitaires d'Aix-Marseille, 1983).