Read the passage below carefully:
In the dry expanse of Yobe State, rural households have long relied on harvesting gum arabic from wild Acacia senegal trees to supplement seasonal agricultural income. Historically, gatherers sold raw, unprocessed resin to itinerant middlemen at volatile, rock-bottom prices. To break this cycle of economic dependency, a local agricultural collective introduced solar-powered sorting sheds and digital market price boards across three local government areas. By sifting, grading, and storing the resin locally, the collective enabled gatherers to withhold their supply until peak international demand cycles, rather than selling under duress during harvest gluts. Additionally, real-time pricing data empowered gatherers to negotiate directly with wholesale exporters, bypassing predatory intermediaries. Within two harvesting cycles, community household earnings rose by over forty percent, and reported instances of tree debarking—a destructive harvesting method used to force rapid resin exudation—dropped significantly. Local elders attribute this ecological shift to gatherers recognizing that healthy, mature trees yield higher-grade gum over several years, making sustainable stewardship far more lucrative than short-term exploitation.
Based on the passage, what can be logically inferred about the cause of the decline in tree debarking?
- Financial incentives became aligned with tree preservation as gatherers realized sustainable practices yield higher-value resin over time.Answer
- BLocal elders instituted strict legal penalties and fines for gatherers caught using destructive harvesting tools.
- CSolar-powered sorting sheds provided physical security that prevented unauthorized access to wild Acacia trees.
- DGatherers abandoned gum arabic collection entirely to focus exclusively on crop farming after earnings increased.