EcoPlanet Bamboo’s bamboo plantation operations in Nicaragua and South Africa have been noted and acknowledged repeatedly over the years, for its work towards disrupting timber and fiber supply chains and achieving circular economies that contribute to landscape restoration, rather than deforestation. As a company it is leading the global industrialization of bamboo as a tree free, deforestation free alternative fiber for timber manufacturing industries that meets certification and sustainability criteria that the industry and consumers are already familiar and comfortable with, such as Forest Stewardship Council certification.
But while the Nicaragua and South Africa plantations represent global showcases, it is EcoPlanet Bamboo’s latest operations, in West Africa, notably the Ashanti Region of Ghana, that hold the cards for the company to take its established framework and prove that it can scale up its operations while maintaining the stringent framework of social and environmental impact.
The Global Bamboo Market is the Biggest Hindrance to Industrialization
Statistics have estimated the global export value of bamboo to be around US$1.82 billion and the import value to be about US$1.6billion. Traditionally bamboo is used in making various handicraft related products including baskets, mats, screens and other semi finished articles that constitutes 40% of the global export market.
Ironically, EcoPlanet Bamboo believes that it is this existing market that has also proven to be one of the biggest barriers to industrialization and acceptance into existing timber and forestry supply chains.
“Major timber manufacturing industries, such as those for pulp and paper, textiles or engineered wood, require a security and stability of supply. They simply won’t make the shift to bamboo as an alternative fiber without a secure and long term raw resource base that meets the highest standards of consistency, quality control, and certification”
Bamboo in Ghana
A few years ago the Ghana government has introduced BARADEP to find ways of developing the bamboo sector.
The Bamboo and Rattan Development Programme (BARADEP) is a government initiative under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. BARADEP has a national programme coordinating Secretariat located in the Forestry Commission’s Achimota Forest Depot.
Similar projects have occurred in other African countries, as initiatives to industrialize bamboo, but with limited success, predominantly due to the a disaggregated attempt to enter the bamboo handicraft market – and thereby compete with China, while obtaining only narrow margins. Such projects are better left to the non profit sector,
In contrast, Africa, and Ghana in particular have the opportunity to industrialize bamboo not to compete with China’s bamboo products, but rather to fill the gap of increasing markets for consumer products, currently using wood and timber from the world’s remaining natural forests.
For bamboo to go beyond the realm of handicrafts and semi processed products it requires a stringent forestry approach to its productions and the involvement of the private sector. Significant investment is required and the development of planting initiatives – whether smallholders, farmers or commercial plantations – must go hand in hand with the development of manufacturing and processing facilities targeted to specific species, markets and a host of other factors.
EcoPlanet Bamboo in Ghana
The partnership between EcoPlanet Bamboo and the Ghana Forestry Commission for the development of large scale commercial bamboo plantations, under an integrated framework, is the first step towards disrupting major supply chains. While 10,000 hectares might be small in traditional forestry terms, these plantations have the potential to produce upwards of 750,000 tons of raw fiber each year – enough to supply a significant volume of paper or packaging products for export markets – markets that currently rely on the unsustainable harvesting of old growth boreal forests.
EcoPlanet Bamboo’s co-founders, Troy Wiseman and Camille Rebelo have developed the company with a strict culture of sustainability. They have set the framework and benchmarks for these larger plantations, and now must ensure that the criteria established in the company’s smaller initiatives in Nicaragua and South Africa, can be upheld in Ghana. If the first two years of development, in which close to 1,000 hectares have been restored along with the creation of more than 500 jobs, the company is well set to achieve these goals.
I worked on a project with EcoPlanet Bamboo’s Foundation, EcoPlanet Foundation (https://www.ecoplanetfoundation.org) in Nicaragua and it was amazing. The impact that the bamboo project was having on the surrounding communities just after a few years was visible, and the indirect benefits and increased activity as individuals started to see the potential to be entrepreneurs themselves in the area was fun to be a part of.
@Colin – we loved having you involved, thank you for all you did as part of EcoPlanet Bamboo’s community development projects in Nicaragua. We love the watching the impact that these projects have had even over just a few short years. We hope that you’ll be back and of course also come work with EcoPlanet’s Foundation on the areas around the Kowie Bamboo Farm in South Africa! (https://www.ecoplanetbamboo.za.com).
I AM A COMMERCIAL FARMER WITH COCOA, MANGO AND COCONUT PLANTATIONS IN GHANA, I HAVE A MORE THAN 2500 ACRES AVAILABLE FOR BAMBOO PLANTATION. I WOULD BE PLEASED IF THE COMPANY CAN WORK OR PROVIDE ME THE SEEDS OR SEEDLINGS TO START THE PROJECT
Bamboo is like the Banana plant/tree, it has a bounty of amazing uses for society,grows at an alarming rate, and its materials are generally just as good as wood. We need to see a rise in Bamboo and Banana products such as furniture, houses and the like in order to save what is left of our forests.
Bamboo is like the Banana plant/tree, it has a bounty of amazing uses for society,grows at an alarming rate, and its materials are generally just as good as wood. We need to see a rise in Bamboo and Banana products such as furniture, houses and the like in order to save what is left of our forests.
This leaves a huge positive impact and the potential is great for such a vital resource. Bamboo tapped can be extremely beneficial. This should be given attention not just for agriculture but certainly for economic drive as well.
Yes I agree. I actually think this will also create a lot of jobs for people. This is great stuff!
Wow, I hope the bamboo industry in Ghana will really take off. It would be great for the economy but, of course, would need thorough planning.
That’s a great initiative in the first place. If executed properly, this could yield rich dividends in the near future. Great to see West Ghana get its due. It’ll be great for their economy resulting in overall boost.
Hope to have a bamboo industry here in our country too. What a future it can be that bamboos can really help a lot in all of us. They have so many uses. Great to see Ghana for it.
So glad to hear the initiatives for a better future for Ghana with bamboo. Today we really need to be cautious about being eco friendly. I’m really loving that we’re humans with a heart.
I never thought that Bamboo is this cool. I mean to develop an organization just for it? Come on!!! Thanks for the info.
Sounds like EcoPlanet Bamboo and the Ghana Forestry Commission are making great waves for the development of large scale commercial bamboo plantations. I know this will not be an easy feat, but it is a great feat that I believe will impact out planet for the better. I will continue to follow the updates.
It’s time for a shift in thinking as far as bamboo is concerned. I have long believed in its massive benefits, but no one really understood what I realized years ago. Now I can show them you article to support my views. Great job, I am with you l the way!