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Uganda National Bamboo Strategy and Action Plan
The Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) of Uganda and produced by the International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR). The publication is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-commercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported Licence (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0), requiring appropriate credit, non-commercial use, and distribution of contributions under the same licence.
The report outlines a national strategy for developing Uganda's bamboo industry, addressing the neglect and depletion of natural bamboo stocks, and the adverse effects this has had on rural livelihoods, the environment, and the national economy.
Background and Situation Analysis
Importance and Current Use: Bamboo grows naturally in Uganda and is an important component of the environment. It is a significant non-timber forest resource for rural communities, providing materials for food (like 'Malewa' shoots around Mt. Elgon), construction, crafts, fuel wood, and fodder. Bamboo also contributes to the national economy through soil and water conservation, biodiversity, climate change mitigation, and taxes. Globally, the annual production and consumption of bamboo products are valued at USD 60 billion.
Bamboo Resources: Natural bamboo is mostly located in protected areas (PAs), covering approximately 54,533 hectares. Uganda has identified at least 13 bamboo species, including two natives (Oldeania alpina and Oxytenanthera abyssinica), and successful introduced species like Bambusa vulgaris and Dendrocalamus giganteus.
Challenges: The bamboo industry is largely underdeveloped in Uganda. Key challenges include:
• Limited supply of bamboo due to the clearing and destruction of forests.
• Lack of sustainable management, resulting in poor quality bamboo.
• Negative attitudes toward bamboo, which is widely perceived as a "poor man's timber".
• High costs associated with planting materials.
• Inadequate capital and high taxation (e.g., VAT, excise duties) on bamboo products.
The Bamboo Strategy: Vision, Goal, and Objectives
The strategy aims to boost the growth of the bamboo industry by managing resources for economic, social, and environmental benefits.
• Vision: To have sustainably managed bamboo resources for community livelihoods, socio-economic development, and environmental protection.
• Goal: To ensure coordinated development of the bamboo industry to propel green economic development and produce high-value products targeting domestic, regional, and international markets.
• Guiding Principles: The strategy is guided by principles such as being private sector–led and market-driven, holistic and integrated development, strong synergies, adaptive management, and gender/equity considerations.
The four Strategic Objectives (SOs) are:
1. To increase production and productivity of bamboo forests in Uganda.
2. To increase return on investment (ROI) in the bamboo industry through processing and value addition.
3. To improve knowledge management in the bamboo industry through awareness creation, education, and research.
4. To improve governance and institutional arrangement in support of the bamboo industry.
These SOs are supported by ten specific objectives, including developing bamboo clusters, promoting plantations, producing quality planting materials, developing SMEs and industries, and supporting market development.
Implementation and Financial Targets
Investment and Scope: A total of UGX 442.8 billion (USD 118 million) is estimated to be required to implement this strategic plan over the next ten years. The strategy implementation will be undertaken by the MWE through the National Forestry Authority (NFA) and District Forestry Services (DFS), supported by various ministries and stakeholders.
Plantation Targets:
• The strategy aims for bamboo to contribute 15% (375,000 ha) of Uganda’s Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) target by 2030.
• This includes planting 300,000 ha (mostly on private land, 263,000 ha) and restoring 75,000 ha of natural bamboo.
Economic Returns and Job Creation:
• The investment is projected to yield an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 37%.
• The net value of the bamboo trade at farm gate price is projected to reach UGX 1.9 trillion (USD 508.4 million) by 2030.
• The strategy anticipates creating 150,000 full-time jobs in the short term (2019–2024), increasing to 700,000 full-time jobs by 2040.
• The 300,000 planted hectares are estimated to sequester 29.6 million tons of CO2 during the project period, potentially generating carbon credit worth UGX 2 trillion (USD 569 million) through the voluntary market.
Risk Assessment: Six major risks that could derail implementation were identified, including those associated with plantation development (land access, pests), political influence, underdeveloped value addition, limited financial opportunities, underdeveloped markets, and underdeveloped ICT.
Overall, the strategy is aimed at developing a viable and sustainable bamboo industry in Uganda that aligns with national policies (like Uganda Vision 2040) and international obligations (like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UNFCCC, and CBD).
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