Bamboo's untapped potential in East Africa

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ISSUE 43 | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2019 1
B A M B O O
| THE TREE FARMERS MAGAZINE FOR AFRICA|
| A PUBLICATION OF BETTER GLOBE FORESTRY |
ISSUE NO.43|JULY - SEPTEMBER 2019
BAMBOO
DISTRIBUTION OF
BAMBOO RESOURCES
INTANZANIA
BAMBOO AS A FORM
OF ENERGYVS HEAVY
FUELOIL& DIESEL
PROMOTION OF
BAMBOO ENTERPRISES
IN KENYA
AN OVERVIEW OF
BAMBOO GROWING
IN UGANDA
BAMBOO FOR RIVERBANK PROTECTION IN DRYLANDS
ROTARY’S “MISSION GREEN”
VISITOF BETTER GLOBE FORESTRY’S INVESTORSTO KENYA
AVERYHUMAN USE OF BAMBOO

ISSUE 43 | JULY - SEPTEMBER 20192
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B A M B O O
Schools’ Green Initiative Challenge
Wonders of Dryland Forestry
Panda Miti, Hifadhi Mazingira
T
he Schools’ Green Initiative Challenge is
a unique project implemented by KenGen
Foundation in partnership with Better Globe
Forestry and Bamburi Cement Ltd.
The main objective is the greening of over 460
acres in the semi-arid counties of Embu, Kitui
and Machakos with Mukau (M. Volkensii) and
Muveshi (S. Siamea) tree species as a way of
mitigating climate change and providing wood
fuel and alternative income opportunities for the
local communities.
Through the setting up of woodlots in participating
schools, the project acts as a change agent to
establish a tree-planting culture for multiple
benefits in dry-land areas.
The ten-year project is designed as a competition
amongst the participating institutions for the highest
seedling survival rates through the application of
various innovations at the schools’ woodlots.
Currently, there are 419 schools from the three
counties taking part in the afforestation contest for
the ultimate prize of educational trips, scholarship
opportunities, and other prizes. Plans are underway
to add more schools in the coming years.
The afforestation competition is in line with the
Government of Kenya’s Vision 2030 to achieve
10% forest cover across the country.

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3
T R E E S A N D T E C H N O L O G Y
COVER PHOTO
CONTENTS
One of the successful introductions of
exotic bamboo species in Kenya: the
yellow bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris),
pictured here in the drylands of
Makueni county, Kenya. PHOTO BGF
5 EDITORIAL
A BRIEF FROM THE EDITOR - IN - CHIEF
By Jan Vandenabeele
6 NEWS & EVENTS
VISIT OF BETTER GLOBE FORESTRY’S INVESTORS TO KENYA
SHOWING THE RESULTS ON THE GROUND OF THEIR
FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS
By Jan Vandenabeele
7 NEWS & EVENTS
BAMBOO TRAINING AT DEGEYA FARM, UGANDA
EMPHASIZING ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BAMBOO AS A
COMMERCIAL PRODUCT
By Diana Ahebwe
8 LEAD THEME
BAMBOO RESOURCES IN TANZANIA
MORE THAN OTHER COUNTRIES IN EAST AFRICA
By Paulo J. Lyimo, Evaristus Aloyce and Jared Otieno
12 LEAD THEME
STATUS OF BAMBOO COMMERCIALIZATION IN KENYA
A SOLID BASIS
By Jonah Kipsaat Kiprop and Joshua Cheboiwo
15LEAD THEME
AN OVERVIEW OF BAMBOO GROWING IN UGANDA
THINGS ARE MOVING
By Michael Malinga
18 LEAD THEME
BAMBOO CULTIVATION IN KENYA
SOME GUIDELINES REGARDING SPECIES AND SEEDLING
PRODUCTION
By Jonah Kipsaat Kiprop and Joshua Cheboiwo
22 ADVERT
23 LEAD THEME
PROMOTION OF BAMBOO ENTERPRISES IN KENYA
SOME HISTORY AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
By Nellie C. Mugure Oduor
26 LEAD THEME
THE ART OF RAISING BAMBOO PLANTLETS
CLONES AND SEEDS
By Kevin Anderu and Christine Mwanja
30 LEAD THEME
BAMBOO AS A FORM OF ENERGY VS HEAVY FUEL OIL & DIESEL
THE REALITY ON THE GROUND AND THE POTENTIAL FOR
CHANGE
By Liam O’Meara, McRae Muthomi and Jan Vandenabeele
34 SPECIES OF THE QUARTER
A BIG GRASS WITH MULTIPLE USES
YUSHANIA ALPINA
By Francis Gachathi
35 LEAD THEME
DIVINE BAMBOO
PROMOTING BAMBOO GROWING IN UGANDA
By Diana Ahebwe
38 LEAD THEME
A VERY HUMAN USE OF BAMBOO
ULANZI IS EASY TO PREPARE AND A POPULAR DRINK IN
TANZANIA
By Yuda Mkollo
40 BAMBOO
THE UGANDA BAMBOO ASSOCIATION (UBA)
A YOUNG ORGANIZATION WITH REALISTIC VIEWS AND GOOD
CONNECTIONS
By Munaaba Flavia Nabugere

42 FEATURE
ROTARY’S MISSION GREEN
TO PLANT 10 MILLION TREES IN 5 YEARS IN UGANDA AND
TANZANIA
By Rogers Karebi
44 LEAD THEME
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN TANZANIA
Bamboo has a lot going for it
By Paulo J. Lyimo
46 FEATURE
FORESTRY IN UGANDA
WHICH WAY IS IT HEADED?
By Joshua Zake, James Thembo and Herbert Wamagale
50. WATER
BAMBOO FOR RIVERBANK REHABILITATION
COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION GOES A LONG WAY
By McRae Muthomi and Margaret Oluoch
52. WATER
BAMBOO FOR RIVERBANK PROTECTION IN DRYLANDS
EVEN THERE
By Josephine Musyoki and Jane Nzango
54 55 BGF AD
56 BINGWA AD

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B A M B O O
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B A M B O O
Dear readers,
This issue is on “Bamboo”.
I must admit I had some misgivings
on this lead theme, because it didn’t
sound very forestry-like. After all,
it’s a grass and it didn’t seem very
important here in East Africa. It
never really took off with farmers
like grevillea or eucalyptus trees did.
Indeed, didn’t. After delving into
the subject though, it became quite
interesting. Its potential certainly
is not realised the way it is in China
and South-East Asia, but it is
definitely here, due to its fast growth,
huge natural presence in the East-
African region (about 1.2 m ha), its
importance for bio-diversity (what do
these mountain gorillas eat?) and its
many uses, from energy to wine.
We got lots of articles on bamboo, it’s
a hot topic, and all very enthusiastic
ones. Maybe here we are allowed to
put in a cautionary note: what if it’s
the new eucalyptus? To sustain its
phenomenal growth, doesn’t it need
an adequate amount of water? Will
newly introduced species, planted for
riverbank stabilisation, not act just
like eucalyptus trees and suck rivers
dry? Anyway, like with eucalyptus,
the idea only will not stop people
from planting, when they see money.
I learned that worldwide there are
some 1,600 species of bamboo,
although only 5 occur on the African
mainland and another 33 or so on
the island of Madagascar. However,
to seemingly increase the small
number on the African continent,
the mountain bamboo Yushania
alpina, formerly and more commonly
known as Arundinaria alpina, now
has been rebaptised as Oldeania
alpina (picked up from the article on
promotion of bamboo enterprises in
Kenya by N Mugure Oduor formerly
known as N Oduor).
Key words in most bamboo
articles are “potential, infancy
stage and young”. In brief, a lot of
development still has to take place
to create sufficient raw material and
experience to work with it. Indeed,
if bamboo is so good, why is it not
yet firmly established? Two answers
are given in several articles; the ban
on bamboo exploitation in natural
forests (Kenya and Uganda), and the
fear of farmers to be duped again
by producing for a non-existent
market (Uganda Bamboo Association
article by Hon. Munaaba Flavia).
The market might be coming, but is
not yet there. In this respect, it was
intriguing to read that Kenya actually
exported canned bamboo shoots
(from the Aberdares) in the 1960s.
There are articles from all over the
region, starting with an overview of
bamboo resources in Tanzania (P
Lyimo, E Aloyce, J Otieno), followed
by Kenya (Kiprop, J Cheboiwo) and
Uganda (M Malinga).
There is talk of species-site
matching, management, harvesting,
value adding, making a drink out
of it (named Ulanzi, and it’s in
Tanzania), and using it for riverbank
stabilisation. Bamboo’s use as energy
gets highlighted in both a Ugandan
and a Kenyan article, respectively
Divine Bamboo and the Bamboo
Trading Company, the latter one well
detailed and a little polemic.
We wish you an enjoyable read.
Jan Vandenabeele
EDITORIAL
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McRae Muthomi
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Diana Ahebwe
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I
N E W S A N D E V E N T S
BY JAN VANDENABEELE
As a yearly ritual, a group of our
Scandinavian investors came to
see in Kenya what they are paying
for back home, in Norway, Sweden
and Denmark (not present this
year: Finnish). These are ordinary
citizens that buy tree packages,
and not powerful investors in the
conventional sense of the word. They
were a group of 35, and toured the
Kenyan countryside in 2 mini-buses,
expertly guided by local BGF staff.
The visit took 8 days -end of June
extending one day in July- and mixed
forestry with social events, and some
classic tourism (Tsavo National Park,
Malindi).
The melia plantation in Kiambere was
visited on day 1, followed by a farmer
visit in the Seven Forks area, and
a Village Bank in Eastern Mwingi,
where they got informed about
micro-credit facilities for the local
subsistence farmers and how BGF is
playing its part. Don’t forget that the
objective of the company is poverty
VISITOF BETTER GLOBE
FORESTRY’S INVESTORSTO KENYA
SHOWINGTHE
RESULTS ONTHE
GROUND OF
THEIR FINANCIAL
COMMITMENTS
alleviation.
Coming from one of the richest parts
of the world to the rural settings of
East Africa is of course a contrasting
experience. Seeing the trees they paid
for and the reality of how they are
produced, planted and managed, is
another thing. So each of them had
a million questions, which we, the
locals, tried to answer to the best of
our abilities. Another day brought
them to a school, Kaewa Primary
and Secondary Schools in Machakos
county. This is one of the former
laureates of the award winning Green
Initiative Challenge, the tree planting
& capacity building programme we
jointly implement with the KenGen
Foundation and Bamburi Cement
Ltd, where they mingled with a very
enthusiastic and excited crowd of
school children.
At the coast, the visitors witnessed
the mechanisation programme of
the Nyongoro plantation, and saw
different mechanised operations in
action (drilling of planting holes,
brush cutting, watering, road
maintenance). They had to dirty
their hands, and plant some tree
seedlings themselves. In Kiambere
this was Melia volkensii (mukau) and
in Nyongoro it was Milicia excelsa
(mvule or African teak), for the sake
of bio-diversity.
An important occasion was the visit
to BGF’s Head Office in Nairobi,
where they were introduced to the
complete staff members, including
the ones that are in supporting roles
like administration, logistics and
finance, and got detailed explanations
on the organisation and the digital
apps that are used.
And the rest can be followed on
Facebook…
The writer is the Executive Director of Forestry
at Better Globe Forestry and Editor-in-Chief of
Miti magazine
Email: jan@betterglobeforestry.com
Combating climate change by planting melia
trees, in Kiambere plantation

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N E W S A N D E V E N T S
EMPHASIZING ON
THE IMPORTANCE
OF BAMBOO AS
A COMMERCIAL
PRODUCT
BY DIANA AHEBWE
Commercial bamboo growing
heightened in 2015 after the
government signed an agreement
with the Chinese government to
promote Bamboo growing in Uganda.
Since then, bamboo has become
an important crop and part of the
solution to deforestation. It is from
this background that several trainings
have been organized across the
country to sensitize the public about
bamboo. One of the trainings took
place on the 14th
of February this year
at Degeya farm in Luwero district,
organized by Divine Bamboo. This
company was registered in 2016
and owns one of the largest bamboo
nurseries in the country with a
capacity of 20,000 seedlings.
The training was supported by
the International Network for
Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR),
National Forestry Authority (NFA)
and World Wide Fund for Nature
(WWF). Present in the training
were the neighboring communities,
students from Makerere University,
representatives from NFA, Food
and Agriculture Organization and
private tree growers. The training
covered nursery management,
briquette making and value addition
of bamboo.
The major benefit of bamboo over
other commercial species is that it
can be harvested sustainably for a
long time (20-50 yrs) and quickly
reaching maturity (4-5yrs). Common
species currently available include:
Dendrocalamus asper (green
bamboo), Bambusa vulgaris (yellow
bamboo), Dendrocalamus giganteus
(giant bamboo) which grows in the
lowlands, Yushania alpina (African
alpine bamboo) for highlands.
The participants were encouraged
to start nurseries because there is
insufficient supply of seedlings, and
previously the cost of a seedling was
up to 10,000 UGX. They were taught
different methods of propagation
but emphasized on vegetative
propagation because a single culm
(stem) with healthy rhizomes and
buds is enough to generate a new
clump (plant); and seeds from China
are very expensive and difficult to
propagate. Participants were advised
to always select mature plants
that are pest and disease free for
propagation.
Since bamboo grows in clumps, the
participants were advised to plant
it at a spacing of 5m x 5m, hence an
acre can accommodate 160 clumps.
After a period of 4 years, 5 mature
culms are harvested every year from
each clump. According to Divine
bamboo, a culm can be sold at 2500
UGX.
Some of the challenges facing
bamboo establishment and
management are that it requires
a lot of water especially when still
in the nursery, thus attracting
fungal diseases. It also requires
skill especially when splitting the
rhizomes where one must avoid
damage to ensure survival.
The writer is the country representative of Miti
magazine
Email: diana@mitiafrica.com
BAMBOO
TRAININGAT
DEGEYAFARM,
UGANDA
A training by Divine Bamboo. Demonstration of nursery techniques

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B A M B O O
INTRODUCTION
Bamboo is an important non-timber
forest product and a major wood
substitute that can be processed and
fabricated into different products
as a substitute for hardwood
products at an industrial scale. It is
a fast-growing woody grass in the
family Poaceae and comprises of
over 1642 species which belong to
91 genera worldwide. Some of its
BY PAULO J. LYIMO (1), EVARISTUS ALOYCE (2) AND JARED OTIENO (3)
BAMBOO
RESOURCES
INTANZANIA
MORETHAN OTHER COUNTRIES
IN EASTAFRICA
members are giants, forming by far
the largest members of the grass
family. It is naturally distributed
in the tropical and subtropical belt
between approximately 46° north and
47° south latitude, and is commonly
found in Africa, Asia and Central
and South America. Some species
may also grow successfully in mild
temperate zones in Europe and North
America. Bamboo grows naturally on
the major mountains and highland
Bamboo seedlings in Mtibwa forest
nursery, for land restoration.

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B A M B O O
ranges of Tanzania and other East
African countries. It is an extremely
diverse plant, which easily adapts to
different climatic and soil conditions.
Bamboo has proven to be a potential
resource for industrialization and
sustainable development in various
countries. It is an environmentally
friendly building material, presenting
advantages such as physical
properties comparable with steel,
high renewability with a rate of CO2
absorption greater than wood and
thus a closed life cycle material for
buildings; besides its social benefits.
It has versatile uses as building
material, paper pulp resource,
scaffolding, agriculture implements,
weaving material, plywood and
particle board manufacture, basketry,
furniture, pickled or stewed bamboo
shoots and medicines, to mention
a few. Resource management and
technical improvements can convert
this fast-growing grass into a durable
raw material for construction
purposes and a wide range of semi-
industrialized products.
Bamboo forests cover more than 36
million hectares worldwide. It is most
abundant in the monsoon area of East
Asia, especially in India and China
with 11.4 million ha and 5.4 million
hectares covered, respectively. Over
the last 15 years, the bamboo area
in Asia has increased by 10 percent,
primarily due to large-scale planting
of bamboo in China and India.
There are four bamboo species
that occur naturally in Tanzania:
Yushania alpina (African alpine
bamboo), Oreobambos buchwaldii,
Hickelia africana (rare) and
Oxytenanthera abyssinica (Savanna
bamboo). Also, there are several
introduced bamboo species namely
Dendrocalamus asper, Bambusa
vulgaris var. striata (common
bamboo), Bambusa multiplex (hedge
bamboo), Bambusa nutans (nodding
bamboo), and Bambusa bambos
(giant thorny bamboo).
Table 1: Bamboo species and occurrence across land use types
S/n Land use type No of species Coverage (ha)
1. Production forest 11 458,189
2. Protection forest 7 98,403
3. Wildlife reserve 4 118,903
4. Shifting cultivation 6 116,854
5. Agriculture 6 199,881
6. Grazing land 2 3,075
7. Built up areas 1 16,401
8. Water body/wetland 1 4,1
9. Others 3 9,227
Total 11 1,025,033
BAMBOO OCCURRENCE AND COVERAGE
According to the results of the National Forest Resources Monitoring Assessment
(NAFORMA, 2009-2014), production forest has the highest number of bamboo
species (11), among which Yushania alpina, Oxytenanthera abyssinica, Bambusa
bambos and Bambusa spp. are the most abundant (Table 1).
Bamboo occurrence on agricultural land is seven species, with Oxytenanthera
abyssinica as the most abundant. Wildlife reserve land has six species while
the most abundant is Yushania alpina.
Bamboo covers an area of about 1,025,033 ha in the Tanzania Mainland.
About 62% (636,545 ha) of bamboo is found in the South (Table 2).
Table 2: Coverage of bamboo species across zones/regions
Zone Regions Coverage (ha)
Southern zone Lindi, Mtwara and Ruvuma 636,545
Southern highland zone Iringa, Njombe and Mbeya 165,030
Western zone Kigoma and Katavi 128,129
Eastern zone Morogoro 77,903
Northern zone Arusha 17,426
Total area 1,025,033
Bamboo is growing from 76 to 2592 m.a.s.l, however about 85.2% is below 1500
m.a.s.l.
The number of bamboo species along the altitudinal gradient differs (Figure 1).

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B A M B O O
ABUNDANCE AND DENSITY OF BAMBOO
The most abundant bamboo species were Yushania alpina, Bambusa
vulgaris, Bambusa bambos and Oxytenanthera abyssinica which altogether
constitute 73.2% of the total bamboo occurrence in the country (Table 3).
Findings from studies show that the mean stand density of bamboo is 2660
culms/ha in Tanzania (Table 4).
Table 3: The relative abundance of bamboo species
S/n Scientific name Percentage (%) Ranking
1 Yushania alpina 21.3 1
2 Bambusa vulgaris 20.7 2
3 Bambusa bambos 16.5 3
4 Oxytenanthera abyssinica 14.7 4
5 Bambusa spp. 10.9 5
6 Other bamboo spp. 6.9 6
7 Dendrocalamus nutans 2.7 7
8 Dendrocalamus strictus 1.9 8
9 Bambusa nutans 1.7 9
10 Bambusa multiplex 1.6 10
11 Oreobambos buchwaldii 1.1 11
DISTRIBUTION OF BAMBOO
SPECIES
Bamboo species are distributed in eleven
administrative regions (Table 2 and Figure
2). It is most abundant in Lindi, Ruvuma,
Mtwara, Iringa and Njombe with 75.2%
of the total population. Less abundance
of bamboo is observed in Arusha, Mbeya,
Katavi and Tanga with 7.9% of the total
population. Most bamboo species were
distributed in low altitudes, and about 85.2%
of the area is below 1500 m.a.s.l. (Figure 3).
Bamboo has been distributed in all land
use types where it is widely distributed in
production forest, protection forest and
wildlife reserve, which all together forms the
public forests and contributes about 65%
of the total distribution of bamboo across
different land use.
Additionally, bamboo species are distributed
across all vegetation types in Tanzania.
The highest proportion of occurrence is in
woodland (66%), especially open woodland
with 10-40% of canopy cover, cultivated land
(12%) and forest (10%).
Bamboo forest is composed of many small
diameter culms and very few large diameter
culms (Figure 4).
Table 4: The stand (culm) density of bamboo species
S/n Species name Stand density (culms/ha) Ranking
1 Other bamboo spp. 3622 1
2 Bambusa nutans 3211 2
3 Bambusa multiplex 3029 3
4 Oreobambos buchwaldii 2972 4
5 Bambusa spp. 2852 5
6 Oxytenanthera abyssinica 2790 6
7 Yushania alpina 2656 7
8 Dendrocalamus strictus 2519 8
9 Bambusa bambos 2368 9
10 Dendrocalamus nutans 1996 10
11 Bambusa vulgaris 1247 11
Average 2660
Savanna bamboo
(Oxythenanthera
abyssinica) growing in
the Southern Highlands,
picture taking during the
dry season. Photo BGF

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B A M B O O
CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
Abundance and stocking is relatively low,
since most of the bamboo is distributed in
woodlands, especially open woodland that
falls under the category of production forests
which are under severe pressure from over-
exploitation, wildfire and livestock grazing.
Therefore, proper management intervention
is required for the sustainability of bamboo
resources in the country. There is a need for
more effort to create awareness about the
available bamboo resources and its potential
uses. Therefore, bamboo should regularly be
included in the National Forest Inventory (NFI)
in order to update information and monitor
trends on the richness, coverage, abundance,
density, distribution and its role to address
national concerns in the country.
Further recommendations include:
• To introduce national standard manuals for
ground and remote-sensing assessment of
bamboo resources;
• To establish a national database on bamboo
resources, with periodic, systematic updates;
• To conduct more studies to understand
bamboo properties;
• Understanding of socio-economic importance
and livelihood utilization of bamboo under
climate change scenarios is critical for its
sustainable management.
• Studies on production and management of
bamboo for bio-energy, such as how much
bamboo is locally available, what species are
best suited, energy content of bamboo-based
fuels, to what extent GreenHouse Gas (GHG)
emissions would be reduced by using bamboo,
and the potential areas for future plantations.
Additionally, studies on the economics of
restoration using bamboo, and profit margins
and return on investment for farmers.
• Carry out studies on bamboo plantation
establishment, propagation, conservation,
harvesting and management including yield;
• Studies on bamboo-based industries (type of
value adding, market etc).
The writers are:
(1)and (2) Lecturers at Sokoine University of Agriculture
(SUA), College of Forestry, Wildlife and Tourism.
(3)A Senior official of Tanzania Forest Services (TFS)
Agency, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.
Corresponding email: paulo.lyimo@sua.ac.tz
Figure 4: Diameter class distribution of bamboo species
Figure 3: Bamboo species distribution along elevation gradients
Figure 2: Bamboo species distribution

I
B A M B O O
BY JONAH KIPSAAT KIPROP AND JOSHUA
CHEBOIWO
INTRODUCTION
Over the last decades, there has
been growing interest in bamboo
production and commercialization in
Kenya. However, the use of bamboo
is still minimal. Present bamboo
users are mostly households and
small cottage industries who use
simple technologies to process culms
into various low-value products for
domestic use and sale. Few medium
enterprises have entered into the
bamboo growing and processing
business within the last 5 years. The
few entrants have deployed advanced
technologies to propagate and process
commercial bamboo products. The
bamboo sector has great potential to
create employment along its entire
market value of the various products.
Kenya Forestry Research Institute
(KEFRI) has been at the forefront
in undertaking research on its
propagation, processing, marketing
and utilization for improved
livelihoods in Kenya. Individuals and
companies have shown a lot of interest
in growing bamboo for subsistence
and as a commercial crop. Bamboo
requires minimal investment beyond
establishment hence may be of great
appeal to communities with minimal
resources for the provision of low-
cost materials and surplus for sale to
generate income.
RATIONALE FOR THE
PROMOTION OF BAMBOO
FOR COMMERCIAL
PRODUCTION
Establishment of bamboo plantations
for commercial purpose needs some
reorientation that focuses more on
species choice, productivity and
STATUS OF BAMBOO
COMMERCIALIZATION
IN KENYA
A SOLID BASIS
Inside a natural
stand of African
mountain
bamboo
(Oldeania
alpina) in the
Aberdares.
Photo BGF

I
B A M B O O
market specification and needs.
It is also important to enhance
bamboo management practices
such as establishment, spacing,
stand structure, rotational cutting
and fertilizer application for greater
yield. Bamboo like any other crop
requires land with specific qualities
and favourable climatic conditions
for good performance. It requires
minimal start-up capital mostly
for planting material, fertilizer
and related production costs.
Access to planting material and
market linkages is necessary for the
successful introduction of bamboo
farming. Institutional support, policy
and environment are some of the
key conditions needed for promoting
large-scale bamboo farming in the
country.
STATUS OF
COMMERCIALIZATION
The low uptake in utilisation and
commercialization of bamboo in
Kenya can be attributed to the ban on
harvesting of indigenous bamboo in
1986. So far, KEFRI has introduced
22 species on a trial basis of which
12 species have been identified as
suited to various ecological regions
(see article “Bamboo cultivation
in Kenya”). Various agencies, both
government and private sector
are involved in the promotion and
scaling up of bamboo production and
commercialisation.
Kenya has large natural bamboo
resources and a small industry still at
its infant stage. Young entrepreneurs
are investing in bamboo nurseries
and businesses. In its environmental
master plan, National Forest
Programme NFP 2016-2030, bamboo
has been prioritised for use in the
restoration of water towers and
degraded natural forest land.
COMMERCIAL NURSERIES
Bamboo nurseries are the dominant
bamboo-based enterprises in the
country at the moment. This is
because the sector is still at its
infancy where planting is increasing
as compared to limited processing
plants or enterprises in place.
However, the scenario is likely
to change as processing plants
are slowly being established to
take increased material supplies.
Therefore, a number of bamboo
nurseries have been established
across the country by several entities
that range from the small community,
individual, commercial or public
agencies to supply the growing
demand for bamboo seedlings.
Some of the nurseries are:
KEFRI
KEFRI has established bamboo
nurseries across its centres in Gede,
Kitui, Muguga, Karura, Maseno
and Londiani. It is actively involved
in disseminating information on
bamboo production and utilisation.
The average annual output is 6,000
seedlings spread over the 6 regional
centres.
Kitil farm
Kitil farm located in Isinya, Kajiado
County, is a private sector supplier
of bamboo seedlings, which also
provides aftercare services and
training on bamboo management.
The bamboo seedlings are established
from seeds.
Greenpot Enterprises
This company has established two
large-scale nurseries in Narok and
Nyeri and commercial plantations
in Narok, Nyeri and Western Kenya.
They have plans to set up the
country’s first commercial bamboo
factory which will process block
boards, veneers, briquettes and
pellets.
Tiriki Bamboo Nursery
Tiriki bamboo nursery is located in
Shamakhokho, Kakamega County.
It specialises in the propagation
of bamboo seedlings from seed,
training on bamboo utilisation and
boasts of an established bamboo
demonstration plot.
Nyabera Farm ICL
Nyabera farm ICL located in Uriri,
Migori County, propagates bamboo
seedlings from cuttings. The farm
has established a 60,000 bamboo
seedlings nursery to supply seedlings
Popular tea picking baskets from split
bamboo culms. Photo F. Gachathi
Stylish furniture made out of bamboo, produced by Kitil
Farm. Photo Kitil Farm

I
B A M B O O
to buyers and for targeted community
activities.
Nyayo Tea Zones Zones
Development Corporation
The Nyayo Tea Zones Development
Corporation in collaboration with
KEFRI has been involved in the
establishment of bamboo in Mt.
Kenya, Nyambene, Mau Forest,
Nandi, Mt. Elgon and the Cherangany
Hills to boost biomass production
and protection of environmentally
sensitive areas in their areas of
operation. The Corporation has a
nursery in Kinale with indigenous
bamboo intended for planting in the
riparian areas within the Tea Zones.
Ewaso Nyiro North
Development Authority
(ENSDA)
This Authority has been mandated
to spearhead the National Bamboo
Commercialization Programme
aimed at creating employment
and income for local communities
in the Country. The programme
covers the entire bamboo value
chain from propagation to
plantation establishment through
the manufacture of bamboo
related products. The authority has
established a model multiplication
centre in Narok where they also have
plans to establish a plantation and a
factory. Currently, a total of 100,000
seedlings has been produced.
SMALL-HOLDER PLANTATIONS
Bamboo small-holder plantations are
widespread all over the country. Most
households have planted at least one
or two clumps of the various bamboo
species introduced in Kenya for
varied uses ranging from ornamental
plants, to furniture, toothpicks,
handicraft and carvings. Most
notable small-holder plantations
are in South Nyanza where on-
farm demonstration sites were
established in 2006 as an alternative
to tobacco growing. The experience
from the project has demonstrated
that bamboo can be a viable crop to
compliment tobacco farming.
NATURAL BAMBOO STANDS
Large-scale indigenous bamboo
stands occur within Kenya’s five
major water towers Mau, Aberdare,
Cherangany, Mounts Elgon &
Kenya, and other montane forests.
Since imposing the bamboo ban
in 1986, no extraction is allowed
in these forests. The government
is currently working on lifting the
ban through the development of
a sustainable program allowing
commercial harvesting of bamboo.
The development is likely to attract
investors to venture into bamboo
processing.
EXISTING AND POTENTIAL
MARKETS FOR BAMBOO
The bamboo resource base is either
owned by individual farmers or
government entrusted to Kenya
Forest Service (KFS). Most of the
collectors harvest from government
forests and sell directly to processors
or consumers. Likewise, farmers
harvest and sell to the same buyers.
The products processed from bamboo
mostly under household or small
cottage industries include crafted
baskets, mats, woven folders, candle
and pen holders, trays, skewers,
cases, cooking sticks, foldable beach
chairs and stools and so on. The
key buyers of bamboo culms are
households in rural areas and small
cottage industries in major urban
areas.
The writers are Research Scientist, Socio-
Economics Policy and Governance at KEFRI and
the Director of KEFRI
Corresponding email: jonahkipsat@gmail.com
Kitil farm, bamboo nursery. Photo BGF

B A M B O O
I
INTRODUCTION
Bamboo is a woody grass with well
over 1,000 species. Global production
and consumption of bamboo is
estimated at about USD 60 billion. It
is a resource with proven potential to
create employment, generate income
for rural communities and contribute
to environmental conservation and
climate change mitigation.
In Uganda, about 1 million (INBAR,
2018) people are involved in various
stages of the bamboo value chain,
mostly involving nursery production,
sale of poles, shoots, furniture,
handicrafts, charcoal, and research
into some industrial products like
toothpicks etc (Uganda Industrial
Research Institute).
Little attention and awareness on
the potential of bamboo existed
in Uganda until the Dutch-Sino
East Africa Bamboo Development
Programme was implemented. The
Programme’s areas are resource
inventory, property testing, market
analysis, value chain development,
creation of an enabling environment
for bamboo development and usage
of bamboo for landscape restoration
and climate change mitigation.
BAMBOO GROWING
Uganda has two indigenous bamboo
species; the lowland and highland
species. The lowland species is the
Savanna bamboo (Oxytenanthera
AN OVERVIEW OF
BAMBOO GROWING
IN UGANDA
THINGS ARE MOVING
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY MICHAEL MALINGA
Bamboo house
built during INBAR
training in Moyo

I
B A M B O O
abyssinica) and it occurs in the
northern parts (Agora-Agu in Lamwo,
Agago and Gulu districts) and West
Nile Regions (Otze Forest Reserve).
The highland species, the African
alpine bamboo (Yushania alpina)
occurs in Mt. Elgon, Mt. Rwenzori,
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park,
Echuya Central Forest Reserve and
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
The total area covered by indigenous
bamboo is 545.33 km2
(this is
54,533 ha). Currently, a number of
species have been introduced and
are being traded. Bamboo resources
in state protected areas, communal
bamboo forests and private farms are
degraded owing to lack of sustainable
management and harvesting
practices.
MOTIVATION FOR GROWING
BAMBOO
Bamboo has about 10,000
documented uses, and thus much
more than any plant in the world.
Some of its uses include:
• Bamboo is the fastest growing
plant in the world, some species can
grow nearly one meter per day, this
makes it a suitable tool for landscape
restoration and climate change
mitigation.
• Once mature, bamboo can be
annually harvested; this is because
its clumps produce culms every year,
which provides opportunities for
annual harvesting of mature poles.
• Bamboo is a source of fuelwood,
charcoal, briquettes, and other
high-end applications like activated
charcoal. Its biomass has a calorific
value comparable to Eucalyptus
(about 19 MJ/kg). The calorific value
of bamboo charcoal is between 26-29
MJ/kg.
• Energy: 1.2 kg of biomass can
produce 1 unit of electricity using
producer gas engines or combined
gasifier engines for electricity
generation and charcoal production.
• Bamboo is an excellent source of
fodder (goats, sheep, donkeys, goats,
cows, guinea pigs) and feed for
chicken and fish. Pandas, mountain
gorillas, elephants, horses and
gazelles also feed on it.
• Bamboo produces good and durable
furniture. When mature it is treated
with a combination of borax and
boric acid and dried by seasoning.
Afterwards, it is used to produce
furniture such as chairs, sofa sets,
school benches, desks, cupboards,
stools, coffee sets etc.
• Bamboo shoots have relatively
high nutritional value: they contain
ether extracts, minerals, Phosphorus,
Calcium, Iron, Hydrocyanic acid,
protein, Niacin and carbohydrates.
The shoots can be eaten and their
juice extract can be used for making
beer, wine and cough syrups.
• Bamboo is applicable in agroforestry
and in various household (packaging,
water transport) applications.
Table 1: Nutritional analysis of some edible bamboo shoots . Source NMBA, 2005

I
B A M B O O
SILVICULTURAL OPERATIONS
Bamboo management involves
maintaining correct clump density
(spacing), composition (age 1, 2 and 3)
and administering a selective harvesting
method (harvesting mature culms from
the bottom, close to the ground).
When the young plant is 1-2 years old,
regular weeding, soil loosening, mulching
is required. After 3 years, operations
to decongest the clumps and minimize
branching should be undertaken.
MARKET
A huge market potential for bamboo
exists in Uganda. Globally, about USD
3 billion worth of bamboo products are
imported and exported, every year, the
main markets being Europe and the
USA. Even bamboo products such as
tooth picks are imported into Uganda.
Opportunities that exist in various
spheres include nursery production,
plantation establishment and value
addition (enterprises at all scale –
households, SME, industries).
The main challenge facing the market is
limited supply of quality raw material,
lack of proper support mechanisms
and presence of a poor environment for
enterprise development and marketing.
One of the major challenges at the
moment is existence of myths that are
associated with bamboo, such as the belief
that it is a poor man’s timber and that it
is a less durable material. It is therefore
important to work with the government
to get a bamboo strategy and action plan
formalized; support technology transfer
for resource and value-chain development
and raise awareness about the facts and
benefits about bamboo.
An advice for those who would like to
venture into bamboo business: start
small, but persist; Rome was not
built in a day.
The writer is the National Project Coordinator
of Dutch-Sino East Africa Bamboo Development
Project, International Network for Bamboo & Rattan
(INBAR)
Email: malingams@yahoo.com
• In construction, it can
be used in both modern
and traditional housing,
scaffolding, road and
bridge construction.
• Other products include
vinegar, cushions,
pillows, knee pads,
innersoles, socks,
underwear, handicrafts,
skin creams, soaps and
shampoos.
Traditional use of bamboo, harvested from a natural stand of
African mountain bamboo (Oldeania alpina). Use of bamboo
has been multipurpose in Africa, all along. This is a granary
Training in making bamboo furniture
Use of bamboo for cottage industries

I
B A M B O O
BY JONAH KIPSAAT KIPROP AND JOSHUA CHEBOIWO
Bamboo resources in Kenya consist of indigenous Yushania alpina (African alpine
bamboo) and introduced exotic species. The indigenous bamboo species is found at
altitudes between 2400m and 3500m above sea level. It is estimated that the natural
distribution covers over 150,000 ha mainly on the slopes of the five Kenyan water
towers: the Cherangany, Aberdares, Mau ranges, Mount Kenya and Mount Elgon
with some pockets on farms surrounding the 5 ecosystems conserved or cultivated.
Since 1988, the country has introduced over 40 exotic species mostly from Asia with
half of them successfully established in various agro-ecological zones mainly in South
Nyanza, Western, Coast and Central Kenya. It is estimated that over 10,000 ha have
been planted on farms, along rivers and homesteads for aesthetic purposes. Table 1
summarises the major indigenous and introduced exotic species that have proven
successful in the different zones in Kenya.
BAMBOO
CULTIVATION
IN KENYA
SOME GUIDELINES REGARDING
SPECIES AND SEEDLING PRODUCTION
The Savanna bamboo
(Oxythenanthera
abyssinica), an african
species indigenous to
Tanzania, Uganda and
Ethiopia, among others.
It has been introduced
in Kenya and does well.
Photo BGF

B A M B O O
I
Yushania alpina
Dendrocalamus asper (Giant bamboo)
Bambusa bambos (Giant thorny bamboo)
Oxytenanthera abyssinica (Savanna bamboo)
Bambusa vulgaris (Common bamboo)
Bambusa blumeana (Spiny bamboo)
Dendrocalamus giganteus (Giant bamboo)
Dendrocalamus hamiltonii (Hamilton’s bamboo)
Bambusa tulda (Indian timber bamboo)
Dendrocalamus strictus (Male bamboo)
Dendrocalamus brandisii (Velvet leaf bamboo)
Cephalostachyum pergracile (Tinwa bamboo)
Dendrocalamus membranaceus (Wapyu)
Thyrstachys siamensis (Monastery bamboo)
2,400 - 3,400
400 – 2,400
40 – 2,400
40 – 2,200
0 – 2,400
300 – 1,000
100 – 1,600
50 – 1,500
0 – 1,500
0 – 1,500
0 – 1,300
0 – 1,000
0 – 1,000
300 – 400
1,800
1,800
1,000
600
1,000
1,000
1,800
1,500
650
600
1,800
1,000
950
800-1000
Highland areas of Kenya Ab-
erdare, and Mau ranges, Moun-
tains Kenya and Elgon, and their
lower vicinities
Medium altitude areas
Lowlands and coast
Species Altitude (m) Minimum rainfall
(mm/year)
Recommended
areas for planting
RAISING OF PLANTING
MATERIALS
Raising of bamboo starts with
obtaining high quality, healthy
materials for propagation. Currently,
bamboo propagation methods are by
use of: seeds, wildings, culm/branch
cuttings, offsets1
and tissue cultured
plantlets. Several factors should be
considered in selecting a site for
a bamboo propagation nursery,
these are: location and accessibility,
adequate water supply, topography,
soil, sun and shade.
COST OF SETTING UP A
BAMBOO NURSERY
The cost of setting up a bamboo
nursery varies depending on the
mode of propagation used. Use of
cuttings requires large potting tubes with
dimensions of 11×13 inches with an acre
of nursery holding approximately 10,000
seedlings. Propagation by seeds requires
smaller potting tubes with dimensions
of 4×6 inches with an acre holding
approximately 200,000 seedlings.
Table 2 illustrates an average estimate
of the cost of setting a one-acre nursery
(seedling production not included).
Table 1. Recommended areas for growing bamboo species in Kenya
1
Note from the Editor: A bamboo offset is the lower part of a single culm usually with 3-5 nodes (about 1-1.5m) with the
rhizome and roots attached.
A row of Savanna
bamboo alongside the
nursery of Kitil farm, in
Isinya, Kenya. Photo BGF

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B A M B O O
FIELD MANAGEMENT AND
HARVESTING
When the young plantation begins
to produce shoots in large numbers,
it is advisable to maintain good field
management practices to achieve
high yields. This consist of weeding,
irrigation, mulching, pruning and
thinning and intercropping. It is
wasteful to allow the inter-row spaces
to stay idle, as the spacing is wide,
after planting bamboo seedlings.
Intercropping in newly established
bamboo stands increases productivity
and economic returns from the land.
To maximize land utilization, it is
recommended that early-maturing
crops be intercropped during the
early years before harvesting of the
mature culms. Annual crops may
consist of maize, kales, tomatoes,
potatoes etc.
The main bamboo species under
cultivation in Kenya are the clumping
USES OF BAMBOO
The country is facing progressive
shortage of forest product resources
and bamboo, therefore, comes in
handy given its varied uses, most of
which can perfectly substitute wood.
The following are uses that could
locally be developed for the benefit of
the farmers and commercial growers.
Fencing: is the most common use of
bamboo in Africa and throughout the
tropics, particularly for homesteads
and farms as protection against
grazing.
Staking: people have continued to
use bamboo particularly as props or
supports for horticultural crops like
peas, flowers and bananas. In addition,
many farm tools are made of bamboo.
Construction and scaffolding:
large and strong bamboos have a
high potential use as scaffolding and
construction material throughout
types. The advantage of clumping
enables the plant to regenerate
naturally after harvesting. The
bamboo plantation should be ready
for first harvesting in about three to
eight years depending on the desired
end product. Thereafter, cutting
of mature culms can be done at
the intervals of four or more years.
Failure to harvest bamboo regularly
will congest the clump, resulting in
deterioration of both quality and
quantity of bamboo stems. The
emergence of new shoots begins
during the rainy season of the year
after planting. These new shoots
should not be harvested, instead
they should be allowed to grow to
full height in order to promote the
healthy establishment of clumps.
The number of shoots per clump
varies; some like one or two may
appear and other clumps may
produce more. A small number of
edible shoots may be harvested in
the third year of the plantation.
Table 2: Cost of
raising of 1,000
bamboo seedlings
from culms

I
B O M B O O
tropical Africa. The use of bamboo
in reinforced concrete in buildings
of various designs and sizes is on
the rise. For general construction
purposes, only mature bamboo culms
that are at least 3 years old should be
used.
Handicraft: this is the traditional
use of bamboo in Asian and African
countries. Bamboo culms are
split into strips and slivers and
handcrafted into numerous products.
Tea picking, fruit and laundry
baskets are common products.
Other handicraft items include toys,
ornaments, mats, containers, musical
instruments and various household
products.
Edible bamboo shoots: this
is common in Asian countries
especially China, Japan, Taiwan,
Thailand. Shoots of Yushania alpina
are consumed by communities
around Mt. Elgon in Uganda and
to a lesser extent in Kenya. In other
communities in Africa, there are
niche markets for bamboo shoots.
Many hotels and Asian restaurants
around Africa serve bamboo shoots
as vegetable dishes. Some bamboo
species recently introduced in East
Africa produce good quality shoots.
Bamboo furniture: production
is widespread in Asia and is on the
rise in Africa. Bamboo furniture
such as chairs, sofa sets, and beds
are relatively low priced compared
to timber products. They are
particularly suitable for tourism and
household uses.
Bamboo panels and particle
boards: these are important
applications in Asia with a
strong potential in Africa. Asian
countries have produced designs
that are marketed worldwide. The
technologies and machinery for
manufacturing such products are
readily available from China, Taiwan
and India. Production of bamboo
panels and particleboard in Africa
could reduce pressure on forests.
Pulp and paper: production using
bamboo is an old age occupation in
China where paper was originally
handmade. Countries such as China,
India and Brazil produce significant
amounts of pulp and paper from it.
Bamboo paper is sometimes blended
with other species such as eucalyptus.
Bamboo fuel: its biomass has
comparable energetic value to wood.
It can be used as an alternative to
fuelwood, and it can be transformed
into charcoal, briquettes, activated
carbon, and biodiesel. The increased
use of bamboo as biofuel can play an
important role in reducing pressure on
the slower growing trees.
Environmental conservation:
bamboo protects steep slopes, soils
and waterways preventing soil erosion
and offering carbon sequestration
which has many ecosystem benefits.
The writers are Research Scientist, Socio-
Economics Policy and Governance at KEFRI
and Director of KEFRI
Corresponding email: jonahkipsat@gmail.com
Kieni Forest Station (the Aberdares), Pinus patula
in the back-ground, with Oldeania alpina (African
mountain bamboo) in front. Most of the natural
bamboo stands in Kenya were converted into tree or
tea plantations. Was it a good idea? Photo BGF

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B A M B O O
ISSUE 42 | APRIL - JUNE 201926
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T R E E S A N D T E C H N O L O G Y
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B A M B O O
I
SOME HISTORY AND
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
BY NELLIE C. MUGURE ODUOR
PROMOTION
OF BAMBOO
ENTERPRISES
IN KENYA
Bamboo, classified as a grass is one of
the fastest growing plants that generates
substantial amounts of biomass within
a short period of time. In Kenya the
indigenous bamboo is found in altitude
ranges of between 2,400 to 3,400 meters
above sea level. The indigenous bamboo
species which is one of the formations
within the forest reserves (covering about
140,000 hectares of the land area of the
country) is Oldeania alpina1
(African
alpine bamboo) formerly known as
Arundinaria alpina and more recently
Yushania alpina.
1
Note from the Editor: a name change again! The name Oldeania from the
Maasai common name (Oldeani) in Tanzania.
A simple but good-looking chair
(the Kenya Bamboo Centre).
Photo BGF

I
B A M B O O
In the history of bamboo utilization in
Kenya, limited processing of bamboo
at industrial level occurred in the
1960s where communities around the
Aberdare forest utilised and exported
bamboo shoots through the Kenya
Canners Factory in Thika. Generally,
the utilization of the indigenous
bamboo is limited to subsistence
related uses. These include use as
firewood, food and forage, a prop
for commercial flower growing,
production of tea-picking baskets and
handicrafts. It is also used for fencing
and rural construction. It was also
used as a raw material for enterprises
producing incense sticks and
toothpicks (that company has since
stopped producing these incense
sticks and toothpicks).
As part of promoting bamboo
uptake, in the early 1980s and
1990s, the Government, through
research work by the Kenya
Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI)
saw the introduction of over 20
bamboo species from Asia and
tested them in various regions in
Kenya including the Lake region
(Kakamega), the Highlands
(Muguga), and the Coast (Gede
and Jilore-Malindi). Some of these
bamboo species include Bambusa
bambos (Giant thorny bamboo), B.
vulgaris “vittata”, B. tulda (Indian
timber bamboo), Dendrocalamus
hamiltonii (Hamilton’s bamboo), D.
brandisii (Velvet leaf bamboo), D.
membranaceus, (Wapyu), D. strictus
(solid bamboo), Cephalostachyum
pergracile (Tinwa bamboo),
Thyrsostachys siamensis (Monastery
bamboo) and Oxytenanthera
abyssinica (Savanna bamboo).
Over the years various interventions
have been used to promote growing
of bamboo on farm and value
addition of the culms. This was
done through formation of bamboo
cooperatives and capacity building
of their members. Currently, a
project that is funded by the Dutch
and the Chinese governments, is
looking at contributing to green
economic growth, international
trade and investment between East
Africa, Europe and China. The
project is being implemented by the
International Bamboo and Rattan
Organisation (INBAR) in Ethiopia,
Kenya and Uganda. The project
generally, is looking at supporting
poverty reduction, sustainable
development, climate change action
and international trade. This is being
achieved through determining the
amount of bamboo resources in the
country (including those planted
on farm or otherwise), capacity
building in bamboo value addition
for members of bamboo cooperatives,
Community Based Organisations,
entrepreneurs, private sector among
others; developing standards and
guidelines that would enhance trade
of various bamboo products and
bamboo growing and management.
Bamboo farming and value addition
enterprises in the country can be
described to be in their early stages
of development, though its value
chain has a lot of potential for
subsistence and commercial use.
The use of locally manufactured
bamboo products is still very
limited in Kenya. This means that
the commercialisation potential
remains largely unexploited. There
are only a few poorly-functioning
bamboo enterprises in urban and
Furniture made out of Dendrocalamus giganteus, by the Kenya Bamboo Centre. Photo BGF

I
B A M B O O
rural areas and farmers who have
ventured in bamboo growing are
very few but growing in numbers.
For the value addition enterprises,
their poor functionality is their weak
backward and forward linkages i.e.,
for the enterprises which are located
near urban centres, accessing raw
materials is a very difficult task while
for those in the rural areas, it is not
easy to access markets.
By contrast, the construction industry
is currently making use of imported
bamboo products for high-end
housing mainly for flooring and other
internal house finishing.
THE MAIN BAMBOO
ENTERPRISES
Globally there are over 10,000
known products that can be made
from bamboo. This has led to
successful and viable industries in
other countries such as China and
India. Nevertheless, in recent years,
the private sector has developed
interest in bamboo and some level
of investment in cultivation and
projected establishment of bamboo
processing/value addition facilities
for industrial scale operations is
currently gaining momentum with
companies developing interest in
production of biomass for energy,
household use items (bamboo sticks),
furniture, flooring and fibre for the
textile industry.
One of the main bamboo enterprises
in Kenya has been in provision of
bamboo seedlings – from seeds and
vegetative propagation, where the
average price tag is between Ksh
200-500. There is need to have more
bamboo planted on farm since it is
usually ready for harvesting within
four to five years and thereafter
annually.
Other enterprises include one
that uses whole culms to make a
composite pole/post by a private
investor. The enterprise buys bamboo
culms from farmers. Another
enterprise chips bamboo for energy
provision (see article “Bamboo
Trading Company”).
Other initiatives are small scale
enterprises producing furniture such
as chairs, tables, shelves; handicrafts
such as baskets for tea picking,
kitchen utensils and pen holders.
To enhance industrial production,
the product and production line
should be developed in a phased
manner. This is to ensure that
bamboo resources are adequate,
available and of quality and that the
market demand and availability of
technology is ascertained. The private
sector has now come in very strong
by establishing plantations on own
land or contract farmers to grow
the bamboo. This has encouraged
farmers to plant it with a view of
selling its culms to a processing
factory.
INITIATIVES TO SPUR
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER
BAMBOO ENTERPRISES
 Publication of the National
Bamboo Policy
 Complete mapping of all bamboo
resources
 Enhanced bamboo growing
 Sustainable management of
already planted bamboo
 Creation of incentives for
investment by the private sector for
development of the bamboo value
chain
 Publications of the guidelines/
standards for selected bamboo
products
 Completion of industrial –level
investment in bamboo processing/
value addition
The writer is Programme Director – National
Forest Products Research Programme, and
National Project Coordinator of Kenya
-Dutch-Sino-East Africa Bamboo Development
Programme at KEFRI
Email: noduor@kefri.org
African mountain bamboo (Oldeania alpina) in the Aberdares. A self-generating
sustainable resource, if managed properly. Photo BGF
Poles with a bamboo core. Photo Bamboo Trading Company

I
B A M B O O
BY KEVIN ANDERU AND CHRISTINE MWANJA
ALL PHOTOS NTSC OF NFA
INTRODUCTION
Bamboo is a giant tropical and
sub-tropical woody perennial
plant belonging to the sub-family
Bambusoideae of the family Poacea
(the grasses). It is one of the most
valuable Non-Timber Forest Products
(NTFPs) in the world and it is
becoming more and more of a farm
crop in addition to being a major
forest product.
Bamboo comprises of over 1250
species growing in the tropical and
subtropical regions of the world. Most
of the bamboo growing naturally in
Uganda is located in protected areas
and because of this, it has not been
utilized to its full potential. More to
this, the diversity of bamboo species
is low having only three indigenous
species:
• Yushania alpina (mountain
bamboo formerly Arundinaria alpina)
occurring in the highland areas in the
southwest, east and western areas,
• Oxytenanthera abyssinica (lowland
bamboo) occurring in some of the low
land areas in northern, northwest and
central Uganda, and
• Oreobambos buchwaldii (Velvet
THE ARTOF
RAISING
BAMBOO
PLANTLETS
CLONES AND SEEDS
Vegetative propagation of bamboo through culm cuttings.

I
B A M B O O
leaf bamboo) occurring in wetlands
areas around lake Victoria in central
Uganda.
Twelve exotic species were earlier
introduced, some did not survive,
only three thrived, namely Bambusa
vulgaris (common bamboo),
Dendrocalamus giganteus (Giant
bamboo) and Phyllostachys aurea
(Golden bamboo).
It is against this background
that National Forestry Authority
(NFA) in collaboration with
the International Network for
Bamboo And Rattan (INBAR)
have introduced 8 new bamboo
species of economic importance
i.e. Dendrocalamus asper (Giant
Bamboo), Dendrocalamus barbatus
(Luong bamboo), Dendrocalamus
membranaceus (Wapyu) cv grandis,
Cephalostacyum pergracile (Tinwa
bamboo), Dendrocalamus laosensis,
Bambusa polymorpha (Burmese
bamboo), Bambusa long internode,
and Fargesia yunnanensis (Fountain
bamboo). This is in a bid to increase
the diversity and make available
suitable planting stock of bamboo
to conserve the shrinking forest
cover. Some of the new species have
been picked up by the National
Agricultural Research Organisation
(NARO) at the National Forestry
Resources Research Institute
(NAFORRI) where 6 ha of bamboo
with 5 species have been established.
BAMBOO PROPAGATION
Raising of bamboo plantlets can
be quite challenging because of the
diverse characteristics that exist
within different species. New plants
can be obtained in two ways; by
means of seeds and by cloning or
vegetative propagation.
PROPAGATION BY SEED
In this method, plantlets are raised
from seeds that are produced by
bamboo after flowering. These
plantlets are called “seedlings”. This
method has a serious limitation in
that seeds are not easily available.
This is due to the rather peculiar
flowering habits of bamboo; many
species only flower once in 30 to
70 years, other species don’t flower
at all and many that do, die as a
consequence. Only few bamboo
species flower and produce seeds
frequently.
Stages of propagating bamboo
from seed:
Sowing: this should be done in
seedbeds composed of sandy soil.
Germination is observed 10-21
days depending on the species and
viability of seed.
Transplanting: if the seedbed
consists of pure sand, transplanting
into a propagation bed is required as
soon as the seeds start germinating.
In most cases transplanting may
occur after one month.
Dividing up: seedling clumps may
be separated into individual plantlets
and then transplanted separately for
further development. Separation can
be done during transplanting into
the propagation bed and every three
months from then.
Harvesting mature clumps: it
may take seven years after sowing
before mature culms can be harvested
from the new clump.
The advantage of this method is
that when seeds are available,
Vegetative propagation through offsets

I
B A M B O O
mass propagation can be readily
established. Conversely, the main
drawbacks of this method are that
availability of seeds is unreliable and
that they are relatively short-lived
and difficult to store. Moreover, it
takes a long time before the clump
reaches maturity and its quality is
not necessarily similar to the parent
plant.
CLONAL PROPAGATION
In cloning, one relies on the bamboo’s
ability to grow plantlets with roots
from rhizome, branch or culm buds.
This naturally occurs when the buds
are brought into contact with the soil.
The new plants will be exact copies
-or clones- of the mother plant.
The advantage of cloning is that the
selected mother plant’s qualities
are always present in the offspring.
Cloning methods include:
1.Offsets
A bamboo culm with rhizome
attached (called offset) is separated
from a clump and transplanted. This
is a conventional method of clonal
propagation and much adopted
by communities for raising a few
clumps in homesteads. This method
is commonly used in Kisoro and
surrounding areas for the mountain
bamboo.
Stages:
 Collecting offsets: offsets should
be collected just before onset of rains.
Harvesting during the rainy season
may cause damage to new shoots.
 Planting offsets: planting with
offsets should be done in a season
with sufficient rainfall. Offsets
harvested in the dry period should be
temporarily kept in a nursery until
the next rainy season.
 Harvesting mature clumps: in two
years after planting, mature culms
can be harvested from the new clump.
The advantage of this method is that
the bamboo plants are established
much quicker as compared to other
methods.
The downside of the offsets method
is that it can be bulky and heavy and
therefore expensive in labour and
transport. Moreover, offsets have a
comparatively low survival rate and
their availability is limited. Collecting
offsets may also cause injury to the
clump. The offset method is not very
suitable for large-scale plantations.
2.Ground layering
In this method, a culm is bent down
and its buds brought into contact
with soil for regeneration.
Apply the method in any season with
sufficient rainfall.
Regeneration: after one month, the
buds grow out into shoots and in the
next 3 to 4 months root development
takes place.
Availability of mature culms: It may
take 3 to 4 years before mature culms
can be harvested from the new clump.
The advantage of this method is that
the culm is not separated from the
rhizome until the new plantlet has
developed its own roots. This may
increase success rate.
The downside is that the method
requires a lot of space and is not
suitable for large species or for dense
stands.
This method is not suitable for large-
scale plantations.
3.Air layering
In this method, a receptacle filled
with soil is tied around a branch base
so as to induce the development of
roots. After root development the
branch is planted.
Stages & planning:
 Applying the receptacle: this
is done preferably during the wet
season, as the rooting medium must
be kept moist.
 Rooting: after one month the buds
grow out into shoots and in the next 3
to 4 months root development takes
place.
 Planting: after the roots have
developed, the branch is detached
from the culm and planted. This
should be done in a season with
sufficient rainfall.
 Availability of mature culms: It
may take 3 to 4 years after planting
from the new clump.
Advantages: the branch is planted
with developed roots which increases
Bamboo seeds

I
B A M B O O
survival rate. Moreover, the detached
branches are easy to handle and there
are plenty of branches available.
Disadvantages: the method is labour-
intensive and only suitable for species
with a thick stout branch base.
4.Branch cuttings
In this method, new plantlets are
grown from branches that develop
natural air roots or rhizomes. Usually
this development must be induced in
the previous year.
Stages:
 Planting: this must occur during
any season with sufficient rainfall.
 Regeneration: the branches
usually sprout within a week, but root
development takes 1 to 2 months.
 Availability of mature culms: it
from the new clump.
Advantages: This is a very practical
method due to ease of handling.
Moreover, branches are plentiful and
removing them for propagation does
not destroy the culm.
Disadvantage: This method is not
suitable for species that have thin
branches.
5.Culm cuttings
In this method, new plantlets are
grown from buds of culm segments
that are buried underground. These
segments may or may not include
pruned branches.
Stages:
 Planting: planting must occur
during any season with sufficient
rainfall.
 Regeneration: culm segments
sprout within a week, but root
development takes 45 to 90 days.
 Availability of mature culms: it
from the new clump
Advantages: culm segments are easy
to handle, which reduces labour
and transport costs. Moreover,
there is usually no shortage of
propagation material. This method
is very convenient for large-scale
plantations.
Disadvantages: species with thin
culm walls do not respond well to this
method. Moreover, planted segments
initially don’t have roots, which
makes the method risky.
6.Macro-proliferation
Bamboo seedlings possess the
capacity to proliferate. By cutting
the rhizome system into pieces,
each with roots and shoots, each
seedling can be multiplied 3-7
times depending on species. The
method is only suitable for species
producing seeds.
Stages:
 Seedlings are raised in polybags.
Normally, at the National Tree
Seed Centre, Namanve polybags of
size 7 x 15 inches, containing loam
soil and sand (3:1) are used.
 Soil is washed from the root and
rhizome system and old roots may
be trimmed
 The rhizome is cut into pieces,
each replanted, hardened under
shade for 3-5 days and well
watered.
 Thereafter, the transplanted
pieces are brought to the nursery
bed under the sun.
 A seedling can be multiplied in
this way in any month of the year
and survival rate is 90-100%.
 As the seedling pieces develop,
they in turn can be used as original
seedlings and new proliferating
pieces once again produced.
Once seedlings are available, the
process can be continued for a
number of years. Proliferated
seedlings are small in size, hence
easy to handle and transport.
Finally, a small initial stock can
produce large numbers of plants.
Other propagation techniques
include: tissue culture, rhizome
cuttings and whole culm method.
The writers are: Nursery manager in charge
of bamboo at the National Tree Seed Center
NFA and research officer at the National
Agricultural Research Organisation
Corresponding Email: kaakevin@gmail.com

I
B A M B O O
THE REALITYONTHE GROUND ANDTHE
POTENTIALFOR CHANGE
BY LIAM O’MEARA, MCRAE MUTHOMI AND JAN VANDENABEELE
The media has long discussed bamboo’s profitability: but is there some exaggeration, and
what’s the truth? Who’s really making money, is it the land speculators or the NGOs or
can private foresters turn an honest profit? The Bamboo Trading Company (BTC) was
registered in Kenya with the goal of developing bamboo into a commodity in the country,
principally for energy. Bamboo has a high calorific value of about 4,200 Kcal.
BAMBOO AS A
FORM OF ENERGY
VS HEAVYFUEL
OIL& DIESEL
Bamboo culms being fed in a burner for
generating energy. Photo BTC

I
B A M B O O
Today the company is based at Kieni
Forest Station in the Aberdares.
There it has renovated a number
of small buildings under a Public
Private Partnership constituted in
the form of a “Special Use Licence”
approved by the Kenya Forest Service
and the Ministry of Environment
and Forestry. The company has a
beautiful garden at Kieni with a
variety of bamboo species. It also has
a nursery for foresters and landscape
gardeners and maintains a house
that is used to promote bamboo and
its many uses. Throughout the 500
hectares that the company manages,
it uses portable 20ft containers as
offices, stores and workshops. It also
has a tented camp in the indigenous
forest that accommodates up to 6
visitors. A variety of conservationists,
researchers and industrialists
regularly visit the camp to learn
about bamboo.
BTC’s principal objective is to stem
the destruction of indigenous bamboo
inside the Rhino Ark Fence and to
persuade the government to develop
the nation’s indigenous bamboo
species (Arundinaria alpina now
Yushania alpina) into a sustainable
“cash crop”. Unfortunately, when the
logging ban came into effect in early
2018, most of the company’s forest
operations ceased and it was forced
to move much of its equipment to a
private estate in the Rift Valley where
it now pursues dry land forestry.
Bamboo is classified as a grass and it
produces more biomass per hectare
per year than any other plant in
the world. Kenya once had over
350,000 hectares of indigenous
bamboo, covering 5 mountainous
regions of the country. Today as
little as 150,000 hectares remain.
Historically, much of the bamboo
was cleared and planted with tea.
But in recent times, most of the
remaining bamboo has been replaced
by communities that seek grazing for
their cattle and sheep and land on
which to grow cabbages and potatoes.
Observable trends reveal that poor
people will always place the needs of
their families first and those of the
environment second, and politicians
will always aid and abet them.
The Bamboo Trading Company
believes strongly that the future of
conservation in Kenya rests with
the private sector and in its ability
to utilise the nation’s indigenous
flora and fauna in a sustainable
manner. Local residents must be
persuaded that they will earn more
growing and selling bamboo than
they do producing cabbages and
potatoes hence, the government
must acknowledge that it has neither
the financial resources nor the
monopoly in expertise to protect the
environment.
BAMBOO MANAGEMENT &
USE
Bamboo plantations differ from
timber plantations: they are not clear
felled. Only 25% of a bamboo clump
is harvested each year, this maintains
a permanent canopy, providing for
permanent water catchment and
wildlife habitat until the species
flowers, seeds and dies. When this
happens, it typically takes 6 years for
the new bamboo seedlings to grow
and return to their full height.
BTC uses a handsaw to harvest its
bamboo and it typically harvests
between 45 – 50 metric tons at 25%
moisture per hectare per year in
a sustainable manner. Bamboo is
hollow and this presents a transport
problem. The company used a small
chipper in the forest for 2 years
without a problem, until Kenya
Forest Service outlawed chipping in
the forest.
A variety of industries seek to use
bamboo chips in their boilers: the
soap and vegetable oil industry, the
tea industry, the clay works, the
cement industry and so on, but with
a ban on forest products in place and
corruption everywhere, the future of
indigenous bamboo looks bleak.
BTC has also made bamboo into
treated fence posts and provided it
to a Norwegian company to make
composite Transmission poles for
KETRACO; but without access
to the commodity it invested in,
the company is now struggling
financially.
The bamboo species, Y. alpina
(African alpine bamboo) grows
naturally in a monoculture between
2,200 – 3,100 metres above sea level
in areas with a loose volcanic soil and
with a rainfall of 1,650 – 2,800 mm.
The best areas yield about 90 tons
of biomass per hectare per year. The
recommended spacing for Y. alpina
on established plantations is 3.5 by
5m (571 clumps) per hectare, though
this varies on slopes.
Elephants and Sykes monkeys
love eating bamboo shoots, and
cattle enjoy eating the leaves; it’s a
grass, after all. Although the local
communities harvest bamboo culms
/ poles for cottage industries (like
making tea baskets), nobody makes
any real money out of the nation’s
indigenous bamboo - because there
It also has a
tented camp in the
indigenous forest
that accommodates
up to 6 visitors.
A variety of
conservationists,
researchers and
industrialists
regularly visit
the camp to learn
about bamboo.

I
B A M B O O
has been no serious investment
coupled with marketing, and on top
of this there is restrictive legislation.
If the plantations and forests were
set aside to produce a variety of
wood biomass for the economy and
society, the Ministry of Environment
and Forestry has to find a way to
have them sustainably exploited for
the benefit of the whole society. A
few companies that are politically
well connected appear to have been
granted waivers from the logging ban.
It would seem that some are more
equal than others.
THE REALITY ON THE
GROUND AND THE
POTENTIAL FOR CHANGE
Most industrialists know that 65% of
Kenya’s energy comes from firewood
and charcoal. Most environmentalists
know that over 25 million tonnes
of firewood are needed each year in
Kenya. But few people seem to know
that each year Kenya’s Treasury
provides billions of USD to procure
heavy fuel oil and diesel from the
Middle East. This thermal energy
is used to generate electricity in the
country under contracts with KenGen
(Kenya Electricity Generating
Company) and KETRACO (Kenya
Electricity Transmission Company
Limited).
Kenya’s largest employer, the tea
industry, produces steam from
firewood to run its factories. But
it could also generate electricity
from firewood and it could sell that
electricity into the national grid. As
tree plantations are being felled,
more and more tea estates are
turning to bamboo, because their
farmers can often grow it easily on
private land.
The government wants to foster
employment, manufacturing, food
security, housing and healthcare.
But it should realise that the private
sector has the means to rehabilitate
the 170 odd Forest Stations across
Kenya. This could provide hundreds
of thousands of forest squatters
with legitimate housing as they
work under reforestation initiatives.
Everybody can see that the rivers are
running dry for several months of
the year and that they flood when it
rains because there’s no longer any
grassland, woodland, or forest with
which to absorb the rain and release
it slowly into steams, rivers and
dams.
THE COMPARISON
The private sector seeks cheap
energy: hot water, steam and
electricity.
Heavy fuel oil has an energy content
of Kcal 10,222. Firewood at 25%
moisture has Kcal 3,297. The ration
between the two is roughly 1:3.
Heavy fuel oil costs Ksh 64.00 per Kg.
Firewood delivered Nairobi Ksh 7.00
Throughout Kenya, wood fuel is 3
times cheaper than heavy fuel oil per
unit of energy.
Currently, the private sector and the
general public procure their wood fuel
from “middle men” that work in and
around the police, the Kenya Forest
Service and the local administration
to thwart the ban on the movement of
firewood and charcoal to the market.
This “black market” pays no VAT,
no corporate tax and no income tax.
An estimated 25 million tonnes of
firewood each year goes untaxed.
Most of the industries in Kenya can
buy their way through certification
and compliance. Most profess to run
clean, green industries that source
their wood fuel sustainably. Many
point to certification logos on their
product labels and their factory gates.
But the reality is that the country is
being destroyed, and it needs credible
certification.
Let’s look at the Mau Forest, which
once had over 100,000 hectares of
indigenous bamboo, producing on
average 45 tons per hectare per year.
That equates to 4,500,000 tonnes of
sustainable biomass per year.
Technology and efficiencies vary
Elephants are common visitors to the bamboo forest,
where they forage and feel at ease. Photo BTC
Chopped pieces of bamboo culms. Photo BTC

I
B A M B O O
but engineers typically require 1.23
Kg of bamboo at 20% moisture to
generate 1 kWh using steam turbine
technology. This old technology
would allow the government to
generate about 631 MW of electricity
365 days a year … from the Mau
Forest alone.
Kenya’s “Energy Regulatory
Commission” currently offers private
power producers USD 0.10 per kWh
for electricity derived from biomass.
But it also grants companies deals
that cost in excess of USD 0.30 per
kWh for electricity derived from
“thermal energy”; heavy fuel oil and
diesel.
The comparative cost of electricity:
631 MW from biomass = USD 552
million
631 MW from diesel = USD 1,658
million
The government is now buying
heavy fuel oil and diesel from the
Middle East, with money that could
be invested in reforestation, water
catchment, wildlife habitat and rural
employment. A few companies trade
in oil and a few people benefit.
In January, February and March this
year, the Mara River ran dry; the
world’s greatest wildlife spectacle (the
wildebeest migration) is threatened
by the continued deforestation on the
Mau. Thousands of people continue
to live in refugee camps on the
top of the Mau, part taking in that
deforestation.
The Ministry of Energy, should be
supported by Treasury, under the
Presidents “Big 4 Agenda” to support
the allocation of private forest
concessions. Bamboo is renewable
energy 24 hours a day, 365 days a
year. Neither wind, nor solar power
can compete with wood fuel.
THE CHALLENGES
During its years in the Aberdares, the
Bamboo Trading Company has been
accused by the local communities
and a number of local authorities
(often looking for a hand out) of
hunting elephants, digging for gold
and diamonds, growing marijuana,
engaging in tourism and so on.
Remarkably few people see the
benefit of forestry and wildlife
and almost everyone thinks of the
Bamboo Trading Company as Santa
Claus. But just occasionally, someone
does actually help.
When Prof. Judy Wakhungu, the
previous Cabinet Secretary for
the Ministry of Environment and
Forestry visited the company 2 years
ago, she saw first hand the work
that had been undertaken by the
company. She was very impressed
and she immediately offered the
company her support with a 10 year
extension of its Special Use Licence.
Unfortunately, shortly after the
Presidential Elections of 2017 there
was a cabinet re-shuffle. Judy was
given a new position in government
and a new Cabinet Secretary
was appointed to the Ministry of
Environment and Forestry. The
forest ban was then put in place and
the Special Use Licence intended for
the Bamboo Trading Company was
heavily modified, ensuring a raft of
entirely new regulations that the
company was unable to agree to.
THE FUTURE
The future of forestry in Kenya
rests on the 2005 Forest Act, which
mandates the Kenya Forest Service
to allocate indigenous and plantation
forests in concession to the private
sector. These private concessions are
designed to protect water catchments,
wildlife habitats and to enhance
the production of wood biomass
for a variety of markets; pulp and
paper, sawn timber, poles and posts,
firewood and charcoal etc.
It is time to remove the “certificates
of origin” and the “forest movement
permits”. It is clear that they only aid
and abet corruption.
The writers are: the Managing Director of
the Bamboo Trading Company, Editor of Miti
magazine, and Executive Director of Forestry at
Better Globe Forestry and Editor-in-Chief of
Miti magazine
Corresponding email: liam@
thebambootradingcompany.com
A managed bamboo
population, where mature culms
have been removed, ready for a
new harvest. Photo BGF
Cut pieces of culms, for fire wood. Photo BTC Bamboo products displayed by the Bamboo Trading
Company. Photo BGF.

S P E C I E S O F T H E Q U A R T E R
I
BY FRANCIS GACHATHI
Yushania alpina (formerly Arundinaria alpina), the
mountain bamboo is a tall tree-like grass with hollow
culms (stems) with ringed joints, growing to 8 m or
more. Culms are yellowish green, woody and hollow,
growing from a thick horizontal underground stem
(rhizome). Leaves are long and narrow, ending in a
thread-like tip. Flowers appear in terminal heads after
which the plant dies back. It is indigenous to Kenya;
found on moist mountain slopes between 2,400 and
3,000, forming a bamboo zone, also in patches or
mixed with scattered trees from 2,200 m. It is very
common in areas of Timboroa, Mts Kenya and Elgon,
Aberdares and Mau Ranges, also in Loita Hills.
Local names for the mountain bamboo include
Kamba: Muangi; Kikuyu: Murangi; Kipsigis:
Terga; Luo: Mwodi; Maasai: Oldiani; Marakwet:
Terga; Ogiek: Tegat; Sabaot: Tegendet; Swahili:
Mwanzi;
A BIG GRASS WITH
YUSHANIAALPINA
MULTIPLE USES
Yushania alpina is used for fencing, construction,
making furniture and firewood. A very popular use is
in making baskets used for picking and carrying green
leaf tea. Traditionally, the hollow sections between
joints have been used to make mole and rat traps,
snuff containers and arrow quivers. A kidney-shaped
yellowish parasitic fungus about 30 cm or more
in diameter (Engleromyces goetzei), often found
growing round the culms of indigenous bamboo, is
used for medicinal purposes. Leaves are fodder for
livestock and game.
Yushania alpina is propagated vegetatively by use of
culms or rhizomes. Offsets from younger culms can as
well be used. Seeds are rare and slow. It is excellent
for riverbank stabilization, hence recommended for
water catchment areas.
The writer is a Consultant Botanist
Email: gachathif@yahoo.com
Yushania alpina flower
containing seeds. Photo BGF

B A M B O O
I
According to the International Network for Bamboo
and Rattan (INBAR), the demand for bamboo in
Uganda is overwhelming, yet only a few farmers
have engaged in growing it. The existing bamboo
resource is estimated to cover around 545 km2 of
which 60% is in protected areas. Bamboo has been
over-exploited which prompted the government to
put a ban on its harvesting for 2 years to allow it to
replenish.
Several companies have come up to promote bamboo
growing in Uganda. Divine Bamboo Group Limited
is a socially responsible forestry and biomass
energy enterprise that promotes propagation and
establishment of bamboo for sale and production
of briquettes. The company has two nurseries; one
at Najjera, Plot 1 Bulabira road, with a production
capacity of 20,000 bamboo seedlings and another in
Degeya, Bombo, Luwero district, with a production
capacity of 80,000 seedlings
PROMOTING BAMBOO
GROWING IN UGANDA
BY DIANA AHEBWE, PHOTOS DIVINE BAMBOO
A happy user of bamboo briquettes produced
by Divine Bamboo.

I
B A M B O O
Several companies have come up to
promote bamboo growing in Uganda.
Divine Bamboo Group Limited
is a socially responsible forestry
and biomass energy enterprise
that promotes propagation and
establishment of bamboo for sale
and production of briquettes. The
company has two nurseries; one at
Najjera, Plot 1 Bulabira road, with
a production capacity of 20,000
bamboo seedlings and another in
Degeya, Bombo, Luwero district,
with a production capacity of 80,000
seedlings.
BAMBOO GROWING
According to Divine Bamboo, bamboo
has the ability to provide energy to
millions of rural communities across
Africa without necessarily causing
deforestation. In Uganda, bamboo’s
potential is largely untapped despite
its ability to generate 30% more
biomass than trees and reduce
loss of forest cover which stands at
approximately 92,612 ha per annum.
Quite a number of its species are
resilient and withstand drought, and
-at least in the beginning- can be
used in an agro-forestry design, so
that food & cash crops can be grown
simultaneously.
Bamboo is regarded as a solution to
the enormous pressure on natural
forest cover resulting from high
population growth in Uganda.
Unlike other species that provide
only timber products, some bamboo
species like Yushania alpina (African
alpine bamboo) have edible shoots
and enhance food and nutritional
security. A bamboo grove produces
35% more oxygen than hardwood tree
species.
PROPAGATION OF BAMBOO
The methods of propagation are
species specific. Most bamboo species
are propagated vegetatively especially
Bambusa vulgaris (Common
bamboo). According to Divine
Bamboo, vegetative propagation is
the most preferred mode because
most species take more than 20 years
to produce seed. During vegetative
propagation, culm or branch cuttings
and nodes are commonly used. In
Uganda, it’s only Oxytenanthera
abyssinica (Savanna bamboo) that is
planted by seed imported from China
though it is observed to have a low
germination percentage. With seed
breeding, species can easily flower
and seed, however, seeds must be
planted immediately after harvesting
and if stored, they should be kept
at -50C. When the seed is sown, it
should germinate within 15 days.
SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES
Just like other species, bamboo has
some silvicultural operations that
have to be done for proper growth.
The operations include weeding at
least 3 times a year for the first 2
years. After this period, the canopy
creates enough shade to suppress
weeds.
Thinning is an important activity
as it keeps the plantation healthy
and helps to create room for shoot
development. This is done by the
removal of culms inside the clump
depending on the species. Those
inside culms are more mature and
should be the ones to be removed first
rather than those at the periphery.
Pruning is also done to remove the
excess branches to ease accessibility.
BAMBOO SPECIES AVAILABLE
IN UGANDA, VALUE
ADDITION, CHALLENGES
AND OPPORTUNITIES
So far, there are 12 species available.
These include: Yushania alpina, (the
highland bamboo) which grows in
the Mt Elgon area in eastern Uganda
and Kisoro in western Uganda.
Oxytenanthera abyssinica (Savanna
bamboo), growing well in west Nile
while Bambusa vulgaris (Common
bamboo), Bambusa vulgaris ‘Vittata’,
Bambusa multiplex (Hedge bamboo),
Dendrocalamus giganteus (Giant
bamboo), Dendrocalamus asper
(Rough bamboo) are predominantly
lowland species and grow in the
central, eastern, northern and
southern parts of Uganda.
The commonest bamboo species in Uganda: challenges and opportunities

I
B A M B O O
nurseries with a capacity of not less
than 500,000 bamboo seedlings
each; it aims to establish mother
gardens and bamboo plantations in
different regions.
ADVICE TO PEOPLE WHO
WOULD LIKE TO VENTURE
INTO BAMBOO GROWING
Bamboo has many benefits to offer
at different levels. It is a relatively
low-maintenance plant with a shorter
pay-back period and a higher Mean
Annual Increment (MAI) than
commonly grown commercial tree
species. The company therefore
advises people to start now when
bamboo is still a virgin intervention
so that they are not affected by
market forces in the future due to
high supply. One must have in mind
that the best time to plant bamboo
was 20 years ago; and the next best
time to plant bamboo is now.
The writer is the Country Representative of
Miti magazine, Uganda
Email: diana@mitiafrica.com
OPPORTUNITIES AND
PRODUCTS
BAMBOO SHOOTS
According to Divine Bamboo, shoots
require minimal investment, and it
is possible to set up enterprises at no
investment cost. Can be sold fresh or
packaged, adding value.
HANDICRAFTS
There’s a huge potential for
diversification into packaging
material, including a wide range of
handicrafts and souvenirs. These
require little start-up capital and are
now well promoted at local markets.
CHARCOAL
Uganda has a large population
that depend on fuel wood and
charcoal (90%). There are affordable
technologies for carbonizing bamboo
charcoal and abundant labour that
can be trained on how to do it.
FURNITURE
There is a high demand for furniture
made from bamboo. Moreover,
there is a growing demand for
bamboo culms for scaffolding in the
construction sector.
CHALLENGES
There is inadequate supply of raw
material to meet the high demand
because there is only a handful of
mother gardens. Seeds are also quite
scarce and very expensive.
Another challenge is limited
awareness and myths about bamboo
and its value chains which make it
hard to convience the public. Also,
land for bamboo plantations is in
short supply.
FUTURE PLANS
The company’s future plan, within
the next 7 years, is to promote
bamboo planting on-farm among
small-holders. Its target is to have
at least 5 clumps of bamboo per
household. The company also looks
forward to establishing regional
Various products made out of bamboo A participant in a training being taught on how to
separate a bamboo rhizome for vegetative propagation

I
B A M B O O
The bamboo plant is used in many
different ways ranging from food,
medicine, energy, construction and
many other less conventional uses
(Mizuta et al., 2004; Zhang et al.,
2004; Yang and Xue, 2005).
It plays a very important role in
the local economies of Far Eastern
countries, mainly China, Japan and
Vietnam, where it has been shown to
transform the livelihoods of small-
scale farmers (Kants and Chiu,
2000).
There is very limited information
about the contribution of this plant
to local economies in Tanzania
(Mhando, 2004). But in the Southern
highlands regions of Tanzania, the
bamboo species Oxytenanthera
abysinica (Savanna bamboo)
is grown by the local people for
production of an alcoholic beverage
locally known as Ulanzi (Kigomo,
1994; IBRN Newsletter 1993).
During the rainy season (December to
May) this bamboo species produces
many young shoots. To produce the
juice, the tips of the young shoots
are cut off and the stem portion is
bruised (a thin slice of some mm is
cut off) every morning and evening
for about a week. The exudates
from each cut and bruised shoot are
then collected in a container called
“Mbeta” and allowed to ferment for
some 2 days to become Ulanzi, a
highly cherished alcoholic drink by
the people in the vicinities and some
townships. This bamboo wine then
contains some 5-5.5 per cent alcohol.
Prolonged fermentation produces a
stronger liquid, more akin to brandy.
On the other hand, the sap is ready
to drink after 6-12 hours, depending
on the desired strength. When you
order ulanzi, you have three options,
mtogwa (sweet), mkangafu (strong),
and ndindifi (extra strong – ulanzi
that has sat for 3 days or longer) (blog
of M Van Dis, 6/2/2016).
In 70s, the drink was available for
free, but then gained popularity.
People from neighboring regions
got attracted, who purchased and
transported thousands of liters to
their home areas. A flourishing
business evolved around this drink.
Due to its simple preparation process,
the drink is cheap. Depending on
the season, one liter of Ulanzi is sold
for 500 up to 800 TShs. Ulanzi is
considered a poor peoples drink as it
is served in plastic jugs and sold only
in local clubs where some people do
not feel comfortable to go.
A few farmers will add a preservative,
more will filter it to remove particles,
but hygiene and storage are points
of concern. Handling conditions
are unhygienic, and production is
highly seasonal leading to large price
fluctuations. According to a Technical
Note in Tanzania J. Agric. Sc (2006)
Vol. 7 No 2, pasteurization is possible
although slightly changing the taste.
When farmers of bamboo are assured
with the market for the juice, they can
plant more and produce more. This
improves their economic situation.
ULANZI IS EASYTO PREPARE AND
A POPULAR DRINK IN TANZANIA
BY YUDA MKOLLO
AVERYHUMAN
USE OF BAMBOO

I
B O M B O O
In Songea region, average daily
production during the rainy season
(January-March), per producing
household, is as high as 40 ltr (M.J.
Haule, 2015). The same author
concludes that this bamboo wine
business can contribute up to 70% of
annual household income, providing
an important source of employment.
On the negative side, there is
social side effects like increased
drunkenness.
ORIGIN OF THE DRINK
Legend has it that in the 60s, while
people were going to their farms, they
used to see flocks of birds on bamboo
plants drinking some liquid, and
later struggle to fly, walking aimlessly
around and falling asleep. Villagers
followed up on the birds’ behavior.
They improved the tapping by
making a special container from
bamboo, “Mbeta”, tapped the
bamboo shoot, left it until late in
the evening and collected the the
container. They decided to test
the sap and see what happened to
them. They liked it because it was
sweet and after some more sips
they became very happy. Since
those days, people of Iringa have
been inviting one another to their
homes and have been drinking
together while discussing matters
of their concern. Ulanzi is also
used during different celebrations
including traditional and non-
traditional weddings.
The Author works as Business &
MarketFacilitator for the Forestry
Development Trust-Iringa.
Email address: mkolloy@yahoo.com
Savanna bamboo (Oxythenanthera abyssinica), looking fresh and juicy, right for tapping ulanzi.
Southern Higlands, Tanzania. Photo BGF.
This is not Ulanzi, but still
another bamboo wine, from
Mexico, well packed. Photo
obtained from Yuda Mkollo

I
B A M B O O
BY MUNAABA FLAVIA NABUGERE, ALL PHOTOS
BY UBA
UBA is a platform where individuals
and organizations working with
bamboo share information on the
resource, enterprise development,
technologies for value addition,
networking and market linkages
through research, training and
exhibitions. The vision of the
Association is to promote bamboo
growing and value addition and its
mission is to promote sustainable
and profitable utilization of bamboo
resources to boost ecosystem health
and national wealth. UBA’s mandate
is to be the leader in bamboo
industrialization in Uganda, by
demonstrating different approaches,
financial benefits and products, as
well as skills and technology for
processing and value addition.

MEMBERSHIP
Over the last 2 years, the
Association’s membership has grown
up to 300. Government institutions
and international organizations
supporting and working with the
Association include the Ministry of
THE UGANDA
BAMBOO
ASSOCIATION
(UBA)
A YOUNG ORGANIZATION
WITH REALISTIC VIEWS AND
GOOD CONNECTIONS
Water and Environment, National
Forest Authority, International
Network of Bamboo and Rattan,
Makerere University School of
Agricultural Engineering, University
of Kentucky-School of Engineering,
China Bamboo Resource Centre,
Bamboo for Good, Life Shelter
International and Bamboo Village
Uganda. Local organizations include
Bamboo Crafts Uganda, Talent
Farm, Aw Bamboo (Malewa) Elgon
Naturals, Eden Agro-Forestry, Fast
Africa and the Makerere University
Land Management Association.
OPPORTUNITIES
Bamboo can be processed into over
10,000 products. For this reason, it
offers opportunities for specialization
in environmental protection and
wealth creation. In fact, investing in it
offers financial benefits and multiple
opportunities for establishment of
large, medium and small enterprises.
These opportunities exist in the
academic, industrial and domestic/
retail sectors allowing production
of various products and services
beginning with simple domestic
appliances and tools such as knives,
cups, glasses and plates, to industrial
products such as textile, paper,
energy and timber industries and
products. Opportunities in energy
for example, include charcoal
production, briquette making,
biofuel, methane gas and electricity
production. Other opportunities exist
in furniture making (chairs, tables,
beds, cupboards etc) and handcrafts
such as mats and baskets. Other
products that further broaden the
industry include production of tooth
picks, matchboxes, sticks, jewelry,
cosmetics, pharmacology/medicine,
juice, wine, fertilizers, insecticides,
fodder, salads, floor tiles, and fiber
boards.
Currently, UBA has initiated
and is developing a centre for
demonstrating bamboo uses and
products such as charcoal, vinegar
and cosmetics (e.g. body creams and
lotions, liquid soaps and vinegar
foot detox). The Association also
exhibits bamboo crafts such as
desk organizers, soap dishes, lump
holders, toys, phone holders, key
holders, beds, chairs, and other

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