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Project Rationale

The potential that bamboo products offer to promote income generation at national and local levels has long been known amongst stakeholders in many of the countries of the world. Studies of the bamboo sectors in Ethiopia and Kenya during 1999-2001, funded by INBAR and local institutions and conducted by national experts, have identified a wide range of differing production-to-consumption systems, and pinpointed possible interventions that would promote the production and trade of bamboo products. In general production and consumption of bamboo and bamboo products in Eastern Africa is very limited, and the value addition imparted by such limited processing as exists presently is minimal. There are many indigenous and traditional uses of bamboo in the region, but these are of low value addition and are usually for subsistence use by the producers. Approximately 80% of the population of Eastern Africa relies on agriculture activities to make a living, and poverty is rife.

In nations like Kenya in which agricultural prices and trade have been liberalized farmers growing cash crops (into which category bamboo would fall) are better off than those growing food crops. Further, the many different stages that bamboo passes through during processing into higher value products offer income-generating options to other members of the rural and urban societies in which the bamboo is grown.

Significant opportunities exist to improve the quality and variety of products produced presently, and hence to increase the income generation opportunities for all stakeholders in the production chain. There are also opportunities to develop and diversify the product categories produced to meet local, national and regional needs; nevertheless the private and public sector lack the specific knowledge to start and support bamboo industries.

The project strategy has been developed utilizing the “Production to Consumption” approach and as such has analysed the entire Bamboo Value Chain from the raw material supply base to the markets and consumers. It includes a strong emphasis on creating south-south cooperation between East Africa and Asia, here in particular with countries like China and India. Technology and knowledge will be mainly transferred from these countries, training of key staff and the testing of African bamboo species in Chinese facilities for their suitability for industrial processing will further contribute to establish a long term dialogue between the continents.

Section Links

» Project background

» General and specific objectives of the project

» Constraints to development of Bamboo industries

» Institutions involved and responssibilities

» Members of NPSCs and Implementing Agencies (IAs)

» Project rationale

Related Topics

» Bamboo trade in Africa

» Accomplished and planned activities

» Commodity strategy

» African Bamboo diversity

» Organizational structure and Management