X-From_: tgray  Wed Nov 11 09:36:29 1992
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Date:         Wed, 11 Nov 1992 09:36:32 PST
Reply-To:     Tom Gray <tgray@IGC.APC.ORG>
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From:         Tom Gray <tgray@IGC.APC.ORG>
Subject:      IPS: Kenya: Bamboo & Erosion

/* Written 12:06 am  Oct 24, 1992 by newsdesk@igc.apc.org in igc:ips.englibrary
*/
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Agriculture
Title: KENYA: CHECKING SOIL EROSION WITH ASIAN BAMBOO


an inter press service feature

by pamphil h. kweyuh

gede, kenya, oct 21 (ips) -- a pilot scheme seeking to introduce
fast growing bamboo in various parts of kenya has shown
significant success.

known as the ''bamboo/rattan project'', the scheme was
introduced by the kenya forestry research institute following
acute shortage of the giant woody grass after a 1986 ban on its
harvest.

funded by the canadian international development research
institute (icrc), the scheme involves cultivation of
fast-growing south-east asian species, the project team leader,
bernard kigomo, told ips here.

''varieties that have shown high promise are now ready for
mass programmes designed to conserve the environment and to
support rural small-scale, handicraft industries'', says kigomo.

''this bamboo variety, planted just about a year ago, but
already standing at four metres in this area with poor rainfall
and low fertility, is the main hope of success'', he adds.

bamboo is used in kenya mainly for fencing and toothpick
manufacturing, weaving tea-picker baskets and as support for
flowers and tree seedlings.

local bamboo species grow in kenya's highlands -- 2,300
metres above sea level covering over 156,000 ha on mounts kenya,
elgon and the aberdares.

''our interest in the asian species stems from the fact that
whereas it takes an average five years before most bamboos
mature, the period can be cut by up to four years'', says
kigomo.

introduction of the asian species had presented problems of
adaptability, according to an assistant researcher with the
project.,

''thai, indian and indonesian varieties have however now
been adopted to our sites, with a particular species, 'bambusa
blumeana' growing at an astonishing rate'', says mwangq
gethuura.

testing growth rates and adaptability have been the main
components of the first of the three-phased scheme, says kigomo.
(more/ips)


kenya: checking (2)

''our next step is to encourage both the growing of the
varieties and to transfer bamboo technology to kenya's cottage
industries'', he adds.

according to jeff odera, the research institute's director,
it is hoped that increased commercial uuse of bamboo would boost
tourism with the production of handicrafts.

with an average annual growth rate of six percent, the
handicraft industry is already a promising sub-sector of kenya's
troubled economy. the industry recorded sales worth 20 million
dollars in 1991.

the second phase of the bamboo project which started in july
includes popularisation of various uses of the bamboo and
expansion of farms on nine trial sites around the country.

as environmental awareness spreads among rural communities of
kenya, agronomists working on the project are hopeful that
bamboo hedges will help stop soil erosion and the declining
productivity of croplands in kenya.

''what we are looking at is the role bamboo can play in
holding up the soil, especially in degraded low rainfall
areas'', says gathuura.

''we would like to reach over 1,000 farmers in the next three
years, who should then be trained to provide seedlings to all
willing to join in the project'', adds kigomo.

the 500,000 u.s. dollar scheme is intended to make bamboo
part of kenya's two million ha forest cover in the next 10
years. (end/ips/phk/ro/ar/92)

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