The 'magic' prunus bark that makes farmers smile

By John Kasozi

“Please measure one metre from the ground level and half of the diameter before you strip the bark off the stem,” says December Stephen Amooti as he picks the stripping tool and hands it over to one of his workers.

In split seconds, the 15-feet bark is removed from the African cherry (prunus africana). Prunus is known as engote in Rutoro and entasesa or ngwabuzito in Ganda.

Amooti, now an acknowledged prunus africana farmer, says since he embraced the project he has never looked back. 

World trade of prunus africana

Trade in prunus africana worldwide exports focuses on dried bark. Historically, the biggest market for prunus bark extract has been South West Europe, but it is growing in the US. 

As the world population grows and with increased interest in herbal remedies, there is growing demand for prunus bark. 

Prunus bark is currently priced at $220m per tonne.

However, the high prices prunus bark fetches have spurred over harvesting the bark in an unsustainable manner in many countries. In the 1990s, it was estimated that 35,000 debarked trees were being processed annually. 

No wonder, prunus africana was listed on Appendix II of the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species in 1995. 

In theory, this means that only controlled trade within scientific quotas is allowed. The fruits of this tree are highly favoured by the birds and mountain gorillas. 

“In the past, stripped stems of prunus in Kalinju and Mabira forests have been illegally harvested and smuggled out of Uganda. However, the growing demand for the bark has led to the cultivation of the tree for its medicinal uses,” says Micheal Dick Kalule of Cudwell Industries Limited. 

Traditional African healers have used prunus africana bark to treat bladder and urination disorders for thousands of years. 

Since this indigenous knowledge was ‘discovered’ by western medicine in the 1970s, its bark has been heavily exploited all over Africa for western markets because an extract, pygeum has been clinically proven to reduce Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (swelling of the prostate gland) in ageing men, reducing the need for expensive and potentially life threatening surgery. It has also shown promising results in the treatment prostate cancer.

Prunus africana is the only African variety of more than 200 species of Prunus scattered around the world used by pharmaceutical companies to manufacture a drug used in treating prostrate problems. 

Since its medicinal properties became widely known, it has been ruthlessly harvested according to the Nairobi-based International Centre for Research in Agroforestry.

Amooti’s journey

“In 2009, when Michael Dick Kalule, the operations and field manager of Cudwell Industries Limited paid our area a visit, I never thought it would materialise into something economically worthwhile,” recalls Amooti.

“Thereafter, I went around with him looking for farmers who had Prunus trees in the wild on privately owned land. To our surprise, many farmers had gazetted some trees in their gardens,” he adds.  

During the preliminary surveys, it was discovered that Amooti had 300 mature wild prunus trees, while the rest had between 200 to 10 trees per person.

“I was nominated to coordinate the farmers within my area on top of collecting and supplying Cudwell with dried Prunus bark pieces,” explains Amooti, a resident of Busasa village,  in Mwenge County, Kyenjojo district. 

“Before I took up prunus trade, I was hired by tea estate owners to manage their plantations. Right now, I only look after my three-acre plantation with my family of eight children and 15 grandchildren using the proceeds accruing from prunus,” he notes. 

“Soon, Cudwell officers linked me to John Babiiha, the coordinator and agent for Cudwell farmers in the western Uganda, who undertook the training of 10 farmers in Prunus agronomical practices and value addition,” says Amooti.

Role of Cudwell Industries Ltd

After Cudwell officials discovered that there was European Union market for prunus africana bark in 2001, they begun carrying out a research on population of trees and bark medicinal content, which required them to submit samples to Europe for laboratory examination by the World Health Organisation.

The research was funded by Cudwell under the supervision of National Forestry Resources Research Institute (NaFFORI). In 2001, Cudwell was incorporated and it started its operations in the following year of 2002. 

Currently, Cudwell’s area of operation is Kyenjojo, Mukono and Hoima districts with a total of 506 farmers. The company is looking towards extending their operations to other districts where inventories have been carried out like Bundibugyo, Kibaale, and Kabarole. Mukono, Kyenjojo, Kabalore and Kamwenge districts have responded well to Prunus africana reforestation. 

The company’s dried bark export destination is France and expects to add value to the dried bark by 2013. The drug called TADENAN is made out of prunus bark.  

Harvesting prunus africana bark

When stripping prunus africana bark, you measure one metre from the ground level of the tree buttress. 

You then use a sharp machete to slice through the bark, making a semi-ring. At the same time, two upright lines are made through the bark to the first tree branch and stripping begins.  

Half of the bark is stripped, leaving the other half to supply nutrients to the upper branches and leaves. An excavating spear is used to remove the bark.

“After stripping, smear the stripped side with soil and cow dung mixture. The mixture helps to preserve the bare stem from insect attacks like the termites,” explains Amooti.

Nonetheless, after bark stripping, the same side can be stripped again after nine years. The unstrapped side is, therefore, stripped after four years. The bark is black to brown, corrugated or fissured and scaly.

Amooti says if a tree is well looked after, it can be debarked six to seven times in its life time. Prunus tree can last more than 80 years.

Amooti’s achievements

From prunus proceeds, Amooti has bought a motorcycle, property, four cows, two acres of land and is now building a permanent house in addition educating his children. 

“I also hope to buy a pickup truck that will ferry the bark and other agricultural products to the market,” says Amooti.

Between 2009 and 2011, the total amount of dried bark collected was about 5,630 and 12 metric tonnes in western Uganda. Amooti says he contributed 21,15 and 12 tonnes individually. 

Amooti and his counterparts are targeting to produce about 200 metric tonnes per year. 

“If we can get funding, we shall increase on the volume production. Another problem is that some bad-hearted people continue to cut down planted seedlings, especially in Kyakatamu in Kasenda, Kabarole district.”