With more deforestation taking place for people to practice agriculture, much forest cover is getting cleared, to our detriment.
To restore environmental sanity, the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), through the National Forestry Resource Research Institute, is executing an environmental campaign to restore forest cover, mostly in hilly and mountainous areas, through planting bamboo.
Why bamboo?
Teddy Matina Omongo, the development communication officer of the National Forestry Resource Research Institute, says they are promoting bamboo growing because it is a fast-growing, non-woody species and has a lot of by-products as the end result apart from firewood.
In 2010, Uganda had almost seven million hectares of tree cover, but by 2021, the number had dwindled by 49,000 hectares. This was mainly due to illegal logging and population growth. Omongo says the percentage can still rise again by practicing reforestation due to the plant’s rapid regrowth rate.
Research at NaFORRI shows that the global market for bamboo production is expanding in response to the growing demand for sustainable products. According to the International Network of Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), a United Nations intergovernmental organisation, the bamboo economy is estimated to be worth around $60b, which serves as a significant source of income for rural households.
To capitalise on this trend, the Government, with help from INBAR, the Uganda Forest Sector Support Division, the Ministry of Water and Environment (MoWE), and the National Foresting Authority, created a 10-year National Bamboo Strategy and Action Plan (2019–2029). The goal is to utilise the bamboo plant’s untapped potential in order to create a green economy and make high-quality goods for international, regional, and domestic markets.
Bamboo farming provides a dependable and recurring source of income for the unemployed due to several agricultural factors unique to the plant. It is a perennial crop with a rapid maturation cycle that matures within four to eight years and is ready for harvest in five years.
In hilly and mountainous areas, a bamboo planting campaign is underway to stabilise riverbank surface runoff and maintain soil fertility. Its widespread, firm root structure allows water to pass through while preventing the collapse of river banks.
“Bamboo is a versatile and rapidly-growing renewable plant with numerous benefits and applications that make it a valuable alternative to traditional sources.” Bamboo is a versatile plant with variable applications in building construction. It can be used for roofs, fences, ceilings, floors, and other building materials. Additionally, the stem can serve as a source of bioenergy for cooking, providing an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional firewood.
All this knowledge was shared at the Vision Group’s Harvest Money Expo 2025 which is ending today. Among other things, it equipped farmers with information about agricultural mechanisation. Value addition and cooperatives were the main focus of this year’s expo, which is hinged on farming as a business. This year’s expo is being sponsored by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Uganda, Engineering Solutions Ltd. (Engsol), K-ROMA (Bella Wine), Tunga Nutrition, Uganda Development Corporation (UDC), Pepsi Cola, and aBi Development.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Bamboo products on display the Harvest Money Expo 2025. (Credit: Maria Wamala)
