Bamboo has a potential to generate 12 bln Birr annually: Project (WIC)

Addis Ababa, September 12 (WIC) – The Eastern Africa Bamboo Project has reportedly undertaken various tasks to generate foreign currency for the country by developing the bamboo resource, the project disclosed. Over 12 billion Birr can be generated every year if the country’s bamboo resource is properly utilized.

 A number of tasks are being carried out to put to use the huge bamboo resource in Ethiopia and to get access to local and international markets for bamboo products, Project national coordinator, Melaku Tadesse, told WIC.

 The project is mainly executed by the federal micro and small scale enterprise development agency found under Trade and Industry Ministry as well as the Agriculture and Rural Development.

Melaku said that with a view to enhancing the project’s capacity, a pilot bamboo training center is also established by importing machineries from China.

 The Ethiopian government established the training center last year with the assistance of “Common Fund for Commodities (CFC)” and the UNIDO, according to Melaku.

 If the one million hectares of the country’s bamboo resource is properly utilized, some 12 billion Birr can be generated annually, the national coordinator said, adding, efforts are exerted to boost productivity by modernizing the bamboo development.

 

Sample bamboo products produced by the trainee

Melaku also indicated that trainings were provided for 33 Ethiopian and 10 Kenyan trainees by veteran professionals from Latin America and Asia here in Addis. Bamboo products of the trainees are also being demonstrated at an exhibition, he added.

 The training would help promote Ethiopian bamboo products by facilitating export trade in the sector, the national coordinator concluded.

visit:http://www.waltainfo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2741&Itemid=52

MPs stress need for efficiently exploiting bamboo resource in Ethiopia

Elderly groups and Local officials giving tributes to EABP and its fruitful results in Bamboo development

Briefing at MoARD State minister Conference Center

Briefing at UNIDO Field representative office in Addis Ababa by UNIDO Representative and Director of the Regional Office, Dr. David Tommy

Visit to FeMSEDA’s Newly upgraded Bamboo workshop

Visit to Adal Industrial Plc

Visit to Bamboo Nursery at Debrezeit Agricultural Research Center

Project target farmers at Hagereselam (Abela) briefing MPs

MPs visiting a green house for bamboo seedlings

Visiting farmers trial bamboo plots at Hagreselam (Abela)

Elderly groups and Local officials giving tributes to EABP and its fruitful results in Bamboo development

Monday, 19 January 2009

 

 

 

Addis Ababa, January 19 (WIC) – Members of the House of People & Representatives (HPR) said that it is imperative to step up efforts so as to efficiently tap the country’s bamboo resources. While visiting the Eastern Africa Bamboo Project (EABP) members of the Agriculture and Rural Development standing committee of the house through their representative, Tsegaye Brhane said that the efforts being made to exploit the country’s bamboo resources should further be strengthened. He said that activities being carried out to improve the livelihood of farmers should be stepped-up by integrating bamboo development with the industrial sector. The representative also appreciated efforts the EABP is making in collaboration with the Federal Micro and Small Enterprises Development Agency (FeMSEDA) and non-governmental organizations. National coordinator of EABP, Melaku Tadesse also on the occasion said that the visit was organized to observe the results achieved and the challenges faced by the project. Ethiopia possesses close to 67 per cent of the bamboo resource of Africa, the coordinator said, and added that the nation could generate about 12 billion birr annually from its bamboo resources. The national coordinator also pointed out that various trainings were provided on the development of bamboo in various parts of the country by foreign trainers so as to boost the economic benefit of the country. Members of the House visited the bamboo training center at FeMSEDA, the bamboo products center which is the first of its kind in the country and the bamboo seed germination unit at the Debrezeit Agricultural research center.

Premier discusses with UNIDO Director General Kandeh Yumkella

Addis Ababa, January 28, 2009 (ENA) – Prime Minister Meles Zenawi here on Wednesday discussed with Kandeh Yumkella, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

The two sides discussed issues of concern on the development and promotion of agriculture and industry particularly in some sub-sectors including leather, oil seed and bamboo production.

During the discussion Meles appreciated UNIDO’s role to promote Ethiopia’s leather products and agro-processing unit.

The government of Ethiopia is grateful to the organization’s support through providing capacity building and other development assistances, Meles said.

UNIDO is undertaking various programs in Ethiopia to promote the country’s agricultural subsectors in the areas of cereal production, leather products and bamboo.

It is also undertaking various activities to promote design industry in Ethiopia.

UNIDO Director General told reporters that his organization is working to advance the idea of promoting Ethiopia’s brand to the world.

UNIDO wants to scale-up designing sector in Ethiopia particularly in the private sector, which highly engages in the business.

R 1:00-1:15 pm

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Minister says utmost efforts underway to make use of bamboo plant

ENA: Assosa, November 3, 2008 (Assosa) – State Minister of Trade and Industry, Tadesse Haile, on Sunday said efforts are being exerted to enable farmers benefit from effective use of bamboo plant. Nearly one million hectares of land is covered with bamboo trees in the country.

H.E. Mr. Tadesse Haile, State Minister of MoTI-FDRE

Handing over certificates to 50 farmers, trained in making modern furniture from bamboo plant, Tadesse said local and foreign demand for furniture made of bamboo plant has been steadily increasing.

 

Hence, conditions are being facilitated to provide technical and material assistance to farmers so as to enable them benefit from the resource.

 

Bamboo furniture manufacturing company being established in Assosa Town helped to increase interest of farmers to participate in bamboo development.

 

East Africa Bamboo plant development project coordinator, Melaku Tadese on his part said new species of bamboo plant imported to develop them in three regional states favorable for bamboo development.

 

Some of the trainees said the training was helpful to them to effectively use the plant thereby change their livelihood. Some 50 farmers drawn from Assosa Town attended the training.

 

T…10:10-10:50 am

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Ethiopia – Bamboo to join country’s export list (Capital)

Ethiopia – Bamboo to join country’s export list
By Andualem Sisay
Source: Capital 

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Following the increase of commercial and residential building construction in the country that was led to ever-increasing demand of bamboo products for finishing materials, a local investor has launched a 50 million birr investment on a bamboo processing factory.

A local company, Mirga Wood Industry, is to construct a factory on 3 hectares in Egere, Addis Alem, 40 kms from Addis Ababa. The factory plans to start with products such as floor parquet, incense sticks and toothpicks from bamboo.

“Once we meet the local demand our target is to provide most of our products for the export market,” says Ephrem Gugsa, owner of Mirga Wood Industry. When the factory begins production, it is expected to employ some 100 permanent employees in its early phase.

Currently, some one million hectares of land in Ethiopia is covered by bamboo plantation of smallholder farmers. Out of this, 850,000 hectares of land is covered by low land bamboo, known for its high fiber content, while the rest is covered with a medium density fiber.
Realizing this potential, prior to Mirga Wood Industry, Land and Sea Development Company (LSDC), an Indian, Chinese and Ethiopian joint venture has finalized construction of a bamboo processing factory in Assosa area, Benishangul Region, which primarily produces paper and pulp. Afro-Asian, which is constructing a Trolley (electric) Bus factory located near the town of Metekel also plans to floor board bamboo that is expected to be produced by LSDC.

These days, due to the strength and long quality services, many train and bus manufacturers choose floor board bamboo for their products interior equipments such as chairs, etc.

The global application of bamboo products in both office and household furniture is also showing increment. Cement particle board, bamboo curtains, floor board, floor parquet, toothpicks and tools handlings such as hammer and screwdriver, etc are among the major applications of bamboo.

Dejen Endowment, a company in the Maichew area of Tigray Region and another MIDROC company are also among the major companies engaged in processing bamboo and eucalyptus for various applications. More than 250,000 hectares of land in the country is believed to be covered by eucalyptus.

“Should Ethiopia continues supporting investors realizing the abundant bamboo resource, in two years time the country will become the leading African nation in using the resource effectively, exceeding South Africa,” says Seyoum Kelemework (PhD), Researcher at Agricultural Research Organization.

Source: Capital (Aug 21, 2007)

Ethiopia to export chopsticks ( Capital)

By Addis Mulugeta
Source: Capital (Aug 17, 2008)

A bamboo processing plant, set up in Benishangul Gumuz Regional State of Ethiopia, is to start production in the coming two months. The plant would start with chopsticks, doors and flooring tiles. It is the first to produce such items from the ample bamboo resource in the region.

Land and Sea Development- Ethiopia (LSDE) the owner of the plant, is also looking for other partners for another venture.
The factory would produce export standard chopsticks, flooring tiles and doors for export with ample quantity.

Michael Gebru founder and director of LSDE told Capital that the company would be harvesting and re-planting bamboo, hybrid eucalyptus and other non-wood crops that could be used in the pulp and paper manufacturing process.

Land and Sea Development Ethiopia (LSDE) Plc is involved in the advanced agricultural sector including bio-fuel plants.
Michael said it was a long journey to take the company at this level and during the setting up of the company. He added that he has faced a lot of difficulties that he almost failed but as he does not want to give a bad example to the diaspora like himself he sacrificed a lot and reversed it to positive under new management.

Evan Peters General Manager of LSDE told Capital that due to the fact the company’s management fragment the company lags time. He added after a new management took over the company progressed quiet rapidly.
The general manger also said that the company after the completion of the factory it would employ about 600 people. In addition to these up to 1000 workers will be working at the bamboo forest harvesting and planting on the nursery site.

According to agro-forest experts the bamboo wealth of Ethiopia is an untapped market.

It is estimated that there are between 800,000 and a million hectares of land that are used to plant bamboo all across the country.
LSDE also last week plated 10,000 seedlings of high quality bamboo in Assosa the seat of the Benishangul Gumuz Regional State.
Bamboo is the fastest-growing plant on Earth. The bamboo can grow three or more inches a day though there are exceptions.

Apart from its use as wood the shoots of bamboo are edible. They are used in numerous Asian dishes and broths, and are available in supermarkets in various sliced forms, both fresh and canned version.
Bamboo leaves are also used as wrappers for zongzi, a steamed dumpling typical of southern China, which usually contains glutinous rice and other ingredients.

The empty hollow in the stalks of larger bamboo is often used to cook food in many Asian cultures. Soups are boiled and rice is cooked in the hollows of fresh stalks of bamboo directly over a flame. Similarly, steamed tea is sometimes rammed into bamboo hollows to produce compressed forms of Pu-erh tea. Cooking food in bamboo is said to give the food a subtle but distinctive taste.

In addition, bamboo is frequently used for cooking utensils within many cultures. In modern times, some see bamboo tools as an eco-friendly alternative to other manufactured utensils.

Bamboo is also used in Chinese medicine for treating infections.
When treated, bamboo forms a very hard wood which is both lightweight and exceptionally durable. In tropical climates it is used in elements of house construction, construction scaffolding, as a substitute for steel reinforcing rods in concrete construction, … Modern companies are also attempting to popularize bamboo flooring made of bamboo pieces steamed, flattened, glued together, finished, and cut.

Besides its use as a construction material, it is also used for fencemaking, bridges, toilets, walking sticks, canoes, tableware, decorative artwork carving, furniture, food steamers, toys, bicycles, hats, and martial arts weaponry, including fire arrows, flame throwers and rockets.

The fiber of bamboo has been used to make paper in China since early times. A high quality hand-made paper is still produced in small quantities. Coarse bamboo paper is still used to make spirit money in many Chinese communities.

Bamboo has also been used in the construction of fishing rods since the mid 1800s. However, following the invention of fiberglass and graphite, bamboo use in fishing rods has declined dramatically. Bamboo is also used to make enclosures in fish farming, where cages can be made from a wooden frame and bamboo lattices.

Source: http://www.capitalethiopia.com/archive/2008/august/week3/local_news.htm#4

Promoting the Bamboo tree (A Reuters Africa Journal report)

Reuters (Aug 23, 2008):

Over 2 billion people in the world depend on bamboo everyday.

In Ethiopia communities are being encouraged to plant more bamboo trees and cash in on a growing trade.

Bamboo is one of the most versatile plants in the world. It can be used in construction, furniture or even for food.

A Reuters Africa Journal report(5:10):

For more information please go to the link http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=89493

Ethiopia wants India to develop its bamboo industry

By Thaindian News
March 23rd, 2008 – 10:39 am ICT by admin
By Nayanima Basu
New Delhi, March 23 (IANS) With its expertise and entrepreneurship, India can help Ethiopia develop that country’s bamboo industry, a visiting Ethiopian official has said. “Ethiopia has huge potential in bamboo cultivation. We are eager to develop this as a small and medium industry for which we want India to come forward and help organize the sector,” said Ahmed Nuru, deputy director, privatization and public enterprises supervision agency, Ethiopia.
Currently, bamboo plantations cover about one million hectares in Ethiopia. Eighty percent of these is of the lowland variety. Lowland bamboo is used in producing handicraft items while highland bamboo is used in paper mills.
“Bamboo has a huge demand locally due to increasing use in industry and housing. It has application in terms of home furnishing, curtains and decorated items and so on. And these are also environmentally safe,” Nuru told IANS in an interview here.
Bamboo production in Ethiopia constitutes 67 percent of the total in Africa.
“We want to now give our bamboo items an export edge for which we are inviting several countries to come and set up large-scale industries,” Nuru said. Chinese companies have expressed interest in making large-scale investments in Ethiopia’s bamboo industry, he added.
Ethiopia’s main concern is that expansion of agricultural land is eroding its bamboo groves; hence their preservation has become a major issue.
“We need to take urgent and immediate action as the resource has not been attended due to lack of due attention and only large-scale and sustained production can ensure its growth and sustenance,” he said.
Trade between India and Ethiopia stood at $127 million in 2006-07, up from $72.5 million in 2002-03.
For more info please go to the link http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/ethiopia-wants-india-to-develop-its-bamboo-industry_10030240.html

Ethiopian Bamboos are Best for High Value Industrial Products

Fiber length, fiber width and wall thicknesses

Fiber diameter and fiber wall thickness

Finished bamboo floor products

EABP-Addis Ababa

In order to investigate the technical feasibility of using two Ethiopian indigenous bamboo species for industrial products and to disseminate the scientific findings to the potential investors emerging in the area of bamboo industrial venture, the Eastern Africa Bamboo Project (EABP) funded by the Common Fund for Commodities/CFC/ has carried out tests on the industrial properties and compatibility of the bamboo species in a research institute in Malaysia based on the request from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MoARD). It has been reported that the test results are promising for the industrial applications of both species. High quality bamboo panel products: (namely Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF), Strand boards (OSBs), ply boards and laminated bamboo lumber), bamboo curtains/blinds, pulp and paper, toothpicks, match-stick, incense-sticks, scaffolding sleepers, charcoal, etc can be produced.

The testing conducted at International Center for Bamboo & Rattan-China for Anatomical Characteristics of Ethiopian Lowland (solid) bamboo (Oxytenanthera abyssinica) that is covering 850,000ha in the Western part of Ethiopia also revealed remarkable results. The   fibers in the culms of O. abyssinica around vascular bundles formed a fiber sheath or fiber cap. They are long tapered at both ends and the measured results indicated that O. abyssinica fibers length differ with age, culm portion and culm wall thickness. Regardless of bamboo age and culm portion, fiber sheath percentage falls within the rage of 12 to 40 percent the fiber length within the rage of 1817 to 3088 µm, height and culm wall thickness the fiber diameter is in ranges from 12.77 to 18.77 µm while the height and wall thickness of the fiber wall thickness observed in ranges from 3.84 to 6.76 µm.

Vascular distribution of bundles among the culms height

Accordingly, the bottom and middle portion of 3 and 4 year-old O.abyssinica culms with less vascular bundles distribution can be used for bamboo-based board’s applications such as particleboards, medium density fiber board and strand boards and for pulp and paper manufacture. Moreover, the upper part consists mainly of many smaller vascular bundles with a high proportion of fibers can be used for pulp and paper manufacture, toothpick, match-stick, incense-sticks, scaffolding sleepers and charcoal production

This is a great contribution for the private sectors and other beneficiaries as it eliminates the need to perform similar preliminary tests which would normally require a considerable amount of funds and time.

Products in Cutting and Mechanical Testing Process

Invitation to Participate in a Bamboo Practical Training Workshop in Ethiopia

Dear Sir/Madame,

Subject: Invitation to Participate in a Bamboo Practical Training Workshop in Ethiopia

The Eastern Africa Bamboo Project (EABP*) is a regional project covering Ethiopia and Kenya, executed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), funded by Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), and implemented in Ethiopia by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MoARD) and Federal Micro and Small Enterprises Development Agency (FeMSEDA) under the supervision of International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR).

EABP envisages organizing a one-week intensive bamboo practical training workshop on the premises of East Africa Bamboo Training and Demonstration Center (EABTDC), in FeMSEDA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from August 28th –September 3rd 2008. The training workshop will focus on

Modern bamboo furniture making (value added products) including Bamboo preservation techniques.

The workshop will be led by a team of international as well as local experts actively engaged in bamboo processing and it will make use of the latest high tech bamboo processing machinery introduced in the country through the project. The training, in fact, is the first of its kind to ever take place in the Region.

EABP encourages participants from East African countries to take this opportunity to be involved in the project’s capacity building scheme.

 

Please be aware that:
• No training fee will be charged
• All other expenses (air fare, accommodation, DSA (per-diem), etc) are to be covered by the participant.
• EABP will avail low accommodation packages and provide any other technical assistance as required.

Interested participants are kindly requested to fill in the attached form and send it by e-mail: melaku.tadesse@ethionet.et , j.hierold@unido.org or can use the following addresses:
National Project Coordinator, Mr. Melaku Tadesse
P.O. Box 26589/1000, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel: (+251–1) – 5544587/88, 251 911 655976,
Fax: (+251-1)-5544589

Processing of applications will be closed five days prior to the starting date of the training workshop (i.e. August 23rd 2008).

I hope to welcome you at the training workshop.

Best regards,

Melaku Tadesse

 

 Highlights on East Africa Bamboo Training and Demonstration Center (EABTDC), in FeMSEDA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

- FeMSEDA – A pioneer on bamboo in Africa for the last twenty years
- Only bamboo training center in the country
- Provided trainings to more than 500 people on bamboo processing and propagation all over bamboo growing areas in Ethiopia
- Provided ToT for a number of rural and urban entrepreneurs from all bamboo growing and potential regional states
- Due to EABP’s intervention, FeMSEDA is now upgraded in technical skills, design capacity, processing technology & product marketing. The bamboo center in FeMSEDA (EABTDC) is equipped with state-of-the-art bamboo equipment and heavy bamboo processing machineries.

 

The latest high tech bamboo processing machinery at EABTDC, in FeMSEDA

Sets of High tech bamboo processing machineries under operation at EABTDC

Bamboo articles at FeMSEDA bamboo products Display room

Non-traditional-bamboo-products

Non-traditional bamboo furniture

Innovative designs for bamboo furniture – Adal Industrial P.L.C. in Ethiopia

High quality bamboo panels from Ethiopian Highland bamboo species, produced at Adal Industrial PLC, Ethiopia

Bamboo Furniture produced at Debrework-Workshop,

EABP-Entrepreneur located near Atlas Hotel-Addis Ababa

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If you are interested, EABP encourages you to fill and send the application letter below in time to be involved in the project’s capacity building scheme.

 

APPLICATION FORM

Bamboo Practical Training Workshop
August 28th –September 3rd 2008

PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM (IN BOLD LETTERS)

1. Contact Information

First Name ________________________ Surname ________________________

Gender ________________
Passport Number: ________________
Age ___________________ Passport Type: ___________________
Country of Nationality _______________________ Date of Issue: ____________________
Country of Residence _______________________ Date of Expiry: ____________________
Professional Occupation ____________________
Organization of Employ _____________________
Address:

Postal Code ________________________ Telephone ___________________________

Fax ________________________________ E-mail ______________________________

2. Purpose of joining the training workshop:

1. List any experience in the field of bamboo.
2. Please state your expectations and reasons for participating in this training workshop.