Trust and Commitment of Members Towards Gum Arabic Producers Associations (GAPAs) in the Central Gum Arabic Belt (Sudan)

This study examines the levels of trust and commitment among members of Gum Arabic Producers Associations (GAPAs) in the Central Gum Arabic Belt of Sudan. Primary data were collected through a social survey of 14 GAPAs, with 338 respondents randomly selected. Additional evidence was gathered from group discussions, in-depth interviews, field observations, and key informants’ interviews. The findings indicate that trust is a key driver of member participation and long-term engagement in GAPAs, with important implications for their sustainability. However, trust and commitment are undermined by weak governance, poor communication, and limited member involvement, which often lead to exclusion from decision-making and low participation. In such contexts, members tend to rely on informal or kinship-based forms of trust; participation in leadership roles remains limited; and women’s involvement is constrained by cultural barriers. Financial sustainability represents an additional major challenge, as most GAPAs rely heavily on external funding and lack well-defined mechanisms and incentives for member-based capital contributions.