Frankincense Crisis: The Scent of Tradition Faces a Tree-mendous Threat

Frankincense is a fragrant resin that comes from the Boswellia tree, and it has been valued for thousands of years. People use it in religious ceremonies, for meditation, and even in some medicines. In Somaliland, a region in the Horn of Africa, many families depend on harvesting frankincense for their income. Salaban Salad Muse is one of these harvesters. He spends months living near his family's trees, caring for them and collecting the resin. This work has been passed down through generations in his family.

However, the future of frankincense is uncertain. The Boswellia trees are being tapped too often because the demand for frankincense is rising around the world. Harvesters are under pressure to collect more resin, which can hurt the trees. If the trees are cut too much, they can get sick or even die. Climate change and pests are also making things worse. In some areas, there are very few young trees, which means the forests are not growing back. Scientists say that if things do not change, the amount of frankincense could be cut in half in the next 20 years.

The people who collect frankincense often get paid very little, while most of the profit goes to middlemen and exporters. Some companies are trying to change this by using technology to track where the resin comes from and to make sure the trees are being harvested in a sustainable way. For example, the Dayaxa Frankincense Export Company uses an app to record information about the trees and the resin. This helps farmers prove that they are taking care of the trees, which can help them earn more money. Experts believe that if more buyers demand sustainable frankincense, it could help protect the trees and support the people who rely on them.