INBAR Working Paper No. 84

Amare Sewnet Minale

Shiferaw Abebe

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis

Ethiopia

International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation

The International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation, INBAR, is an intergovernmental organisation

dedicated to the promotion of bamboo and rattan for sustainable development.

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Acknowledgements

We greatly appreciate the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the

International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR) for funding this study. Again, we thank

Dr. Ernest Nti Acheampong and Daniel Obloni Kweitsu for their critical feedback and inputs to

improve this report. We also appreciate and acknowledge the interest, active participation and

support from the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commission of Ethiopia; Environment,

Forest and Wildlife Protection and Development Authority of Benishangul Gumuz regional state;

and the Agriculture and Natural Resource Office experts of Awi and Assosa Zone. To all interview

respondents and bamboo sector investors who shared information and useful data, we say thank

you.

Dr. Amare Sewnet Minale and Shiferaw Abebe

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................... ii

Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ iv

List of Tables ..................................................................................................................................... i

List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................ ii

Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ iii

1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1

1.1 An overview of Ethiopia’s bamboo resources ................................................................. 1

1.2 Objectives of the study ...................................................................................................... 2

2. Methodology ............................................................................................................................ 4

3. Bamboo and Ethiopia’s Development Policies ....................................................................... 5

3.1 Ethiopia’s Forestry Policy ...................................................................................................... 5

3.2 Ethiopia’s National Biodiversity Strategy .............................................................................. 7

3.3 Ethiopia’s Energy Policy ....................................................................................................... 8

3.4 Ethiopia’s Climate Change Policy ......................................................................................... 9

3.5 Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) ............................................................................. 12

4. Complementary Policies and Programmes for Bamboo Development in Ethiopia .............. 13

4.1 The National REDD+ Strategy of Ethiopia ........................................................................ 13

4.2 The Ethiopian Bamboo Development Strategy and Action Plan ...................................... 15

5. Stakeholders in the Development of the Bamboo Sector ..................................................... 17

6. Challenges of Bamboo Sector Development in Ethiopia ...................................................... 23

7. Opportunities and Incentives for Bamboo Development ...................................................... 25

8. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 27

9. Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 28

10. References ............................................................................................................................ 30

i

List of Tables

Table 1. Strategic options to mitigate deforestation and forest degradation ............................... 14

ii

List of Abbreviations

ANR Assisted Natural Regeneration

CIFOR Center for International Forestry Research

COP Conference of Parties

CRGE Climate Resilient Green Economy

EDRI Ethiopian Development Research Institute

EEFRI Ethiopian Environmental and Forestry Research Institute

EFCCC Ethiopian Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commission

FCPF Forest Carbon Partnership Facility

GDP Gross Domestic Product

GTP Growth and Transformation Plan

INBAR

MoEFCC

MoME

MoR

MoWE

MSEs

NAPA

NGOs

International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

Ministry of Mines and Energy

Ministry of Revenue Ethiopian Customs Commission

Ministry of Water and Energy

Micro- and Small-Scale Enterprises

National Adaptation Programme of Action

Non-Governmental Organisations

NTFP Non-Timber Forest Products

PFM Participatory Forest Management

REDD Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation

R-PP Readiness Preparation Proposal

SNNP Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples

UNCCD United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organisation

iii

Executive Summary

Ethiopia is one of the largest bamboo resource bases in Africa. The country has around 67% of

the continent’s and 7% of the world’s bamboo forest resources. It has two indigenous species of

bamboo: Yushania alpina (highland bamboo) and Oxytenanthera abyssinica (lowland bamboo)

with an area coverage of one million hectares. Despite the abundant resource base, the bamboo

sector has received limited attention as a potential sector for economic growth of the country.

Compared with countries such as China, India and Taiwan, the economic return obtained from

these vegetation resources is very low while the utilization is rudimentary and unsustainable.

Moreover, reliable and consistent data on the status of the bamboo resource base, as well as the

policy options for sustainable bamboo resource development, are scanty.

Today, the policy environment in Ethiopia is rapidly changing in a positive direction as old policies

are being updated and new ones are being developed. Several pieces of legislation and policies

governing the forestry, land, energy, small-scale enterprise and the environment sectors have

implications for the development of the bamboo sector in the country. However, few policies

specifically identify strategies or guidelines for the development of bamboo. This gap presents an

opportunity to the government and stakeholders to develop bamboo development strategies and

programmes that can be integrated into sustainable development plans and a green growth

strategy for Ethiopia. Therefore, it is extremely important to identify key factors and conditions

that facilitate or impede the integration of bamboo policy and programmes into national

development plans and strategies, including green growth strategies and climate change plans.

The main objective of this study was to analyse relevant complementary policies or programmes

to ensure that newly drafted or existing bamboo policies/programmes are fully linked to national

sustainable development planning with the goal to leverage investments in bamboo development.

The study used both primary and secondary data sources. Primary data were collected through

key informant interviews, field level observations and intensive group discussions. Secondary

data were collected from both published and unpublished literature sources. The data were

analysed qualitatively using the content analysis technique and evaluative and assessment

methods.

iv

The study results indicate that the bamboo sector has received attention in various pieces of

legislation and policies governing the forestry, land, energy, climate change and the environment.

Most of the existing national policy initiatives, programmes and strategies directly or indirectly

address bamboo resource development. Bamboo has been integrated into the national

development plans and strategies, including green growth strategies and climate change plans,

particularly in growth and transformation plans and climate resilient green economy strategy,

which are the heart of the sustainable development plans of the country. It is targeted as a

valuable species in poverty reduction, job creation, climate change adaptation and mitigation,

green economic development and the country’s land rehabilitation and restoration plans. Recently,

the country has developed a national bamboo strategy and action plan. The strategy was

developed with due consideration involving major stakeholders in bamboo technology and is

aligned with the sustainable development goals Ethiopia is implementing. This strategy and action

plan is the first step in the right direction to increase and add value to current bamboo

development, sustainable management and utilization efforts in the country. However, a general

lack of coordination, overlap of roles and responsibilities, lack of policy and planning and limited

dedicated manpower and resources have resulted in underdevelopment of the bamboo sector.

Finally, to overcome these challenges and promote the development of the bamboo sector and

harvest social, economic and ecological benefits from the resource, we recommend that the

government of Ethiopia work on defining bamboo in the organisational structure and create

enabling institutions, build human capital and alleviate skills gap, maintain a regular bamboo

forest inventory, create an enabling market environment and develop a value chain.

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis, Ethiopia

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1. Introduction

1.1 An overview of Ethiopia’s bamboo resources

Ethiopia is one of the largest bamboo resource bases in Africa. The country is said to have around

67% of the continent’s and 7% of the world’s bamboo forest area (Tsinghua University and the

International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation [INBAR], 2018; Mekonnen et al., 2014;

Endalamaw et al., 2013). It has two indigenous species of bamboo: Yushania alpina (highland

bamboo) and Oxytenanthera abyssinica (lowland bamboo) with an area coverage of one million

hectare (Durai et al., 2018; Tsinghua University and INBAR, 2018). Besides the two indigenous

species, there are about 23 different bamboo species from seven genera that have been

introduced since 2008 (Mulatu et al., 2016).

Lowland bamboo grows in vast savannah lowlands and in major river valleys, mainly in

Benishangul Gumuz, Amhara, Gambella and Oromia regional states (Tsinghua University and

INBAR, 2018; Kelbessa et al., 2000). It constitutes about 80-85% of the total bamboo forest in the

country (Sertse et al., 2011; Embaye, 2003). The lowland bamboo grows in elevation ranges from

540 to 1750 meters above sea level, where the annual rainfall ranges from 700-1000 mm

(Tsinghua University and INBAR, 2018; UNIDO, 2009). It is a solid bamboo species that can grow

in poor volcanic soils in geographic regions with about 600 mm or more annual rainfall (UNIDO,

2009). Under natural conditions, where there is no management, the number of culms per ha of

this species was reported to be only 8000 (Tsinghua University and INBAR, 2018; LUSO,1997).

However, plot level records indicate that plantations of this species with a 4 m x 4 m spacing and

an average medium-sized clump, with 73 culms/clump, can have at least 40,000 culms per ha

(Mulatu et al., 2016).

On the other hand, the highland bamboo grows in the south, south-west, central and north-

western highlands of Ethiopia at elevations ranging from 2200 to 4000 m above sea level, mainly

in Amhara, Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) (Mulatu et al., 2016;

UNIDO, 2009). It grows in Afromontane forests, often in volcanic soils, and forms extensive pure

stands (Phillips, 1995). In natural bamboo forests, the number of bamboo culms ranges from

5869-8840 poles per ha, whereas in planted bamboo forests, the number of poles ranges from

2

11,000- 20,000 poles per ha (Mulatu et al., 2016; LUSO, 1997) with an annual increment of 8.6

and 6-26 tons, respectively (Mulatu et al., 2016).

Despite the abundant resource base, the bamboo sector has received limited attention as a

potential sector for economic growth of the country (Durai et al., 2018). Compared with countries

such as China, India and Taiwan, the economic return obtained from these vegetation resources

is very low, while the utilization is rudimentary and unsustainable (Endalamaw et al., 2013; Mulatu

& Kindu, 2010). Moreover, reliable and consistent data on the status of the bamboo resource

base, as well as the policy options for sustainable bamboo resource development, are scanty. As

noted by several bamboo experts, the lack of reliable and consistent data on bamboo resources

has impeded the proper management of bamboo forests and limited their potential in providing

more socioeconomic and environmental benefits on a global scale (Li et al., 2016; Nath et al.,

2015; Lobovikov et al., 2012).

Today, the policy environment in Ethiopia is rapidly changing in a positive direction as old policies

are being updated and new ones are being developed. Several pieces of legislation and policies

governing the forestry, land, energy, small-scale enterprise and the environment sector have

implications for the development of the bamboo sector in the country. However, few policies

specifically identify strategies or guidelines for the development of bamboo. This gap presents an

opportunity for the government and stakeholders to structure bamboo development strategies

and programmes that can be integrated into the sustainable development plans and a green

growth strategy for Ethiopia. Therefore, it is very important to identify key factors and conditions

that facilitate or impede the integration of bamboo policy and programmes into national

development plans and strategies, including green growth strategies and climate change plans.

1.2 Objectives of the study

1.2.1 General objective

The main objective of this study was to analyse relevant complementary policies or programmes

to ensure that newly drafted or existing bamboo policies/programmes are fully linked to national

sustainable development planning with the goal to leverage investment in bamboo development.

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis, Ethiopia

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1.2.2 Specific objectives

The specific objectives of the study were the following:

i. Provide an understanding and analysis of various sectors, including among others,

forestry, energy, biodiversity conservation and climate change that have implications for

bamboo development in Ethiopia;

ii. Define relevant legislation, complementary policies and programmes that directly or

indirectly support bamboo development in Ethiopia;

iii. Map key stakeholders (including their roles, responsibilities, interests) in the development

of the bamboo sector;

iv. Assess the opportunities and incentives, including the market and investment in bamboo

development in Ethiopia; and

v. Define a framework for bamboo policy integration for sustainable development in Ethiopia.

4

2. Methodology To conduct this study, both primary and secondary data sets were used. Key informant interviews,

field level observations and intensive group discussions involving farmers, investors and farm

managers engaged in bamboo processing and production, and experts from government and

non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were conducted at the district, zonal, regional and

federal levels. Likewise, the secondary data sets derived from articles, official publications, reports,

conference papers and other relevant documents were used as sources of information. The data

were analysed qualitatively using the content analysis technique, and evaluative and assessment

methods (Ojakorotu and Olaopa, 2017) were adopted to elucidate policy gaps in the integration

of bamboo in the sustainable development of Ethiopia.

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis, Ethiopia

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3. Bamboo and Ethiopia’s Development Policies

Ethiopia has a very great and immediate dependence on natural resources for economic

development. Therefore, wise use and conservation of natural resources are both short-term and

long-term concerns for the nation. Cognizant of this fact, the Ethiopian government has put in

place various policies, strategies and programmes for sustainable natural resource management

of its forest, water, land, energy and biodiversity resources. Most of the policies and strategies

established in different sectors have been geared towards the conservation and sustainable

utilization of the country’s natural resources. Most of the existing national policy initiatives,

programmes and strategies directly or indirectly address bamboo resource development. The

extent of the relationships with or complementarities of these policies, programmes and strategies

to bamboo resource development is reviewed and presented in the following section.

3.1 Forestry Policy of Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, forest is defined as land occupied by trees (both natural and planted, including

bamboo) attaining a height of more than 2 m at maturity, canopy cover of more than 20% and

covering an area of more than 0.5 hectare, with a minimum width of 20 m or not more than two‐

thirds of its length (MoEFCC, 2018). The country formulated the first comprehensive forest policy

in 2007. However, a forest law enacted with Proclamation No. 94/1994 in 1994 had been in use

earlier. The main objective of the forest policy was “to meet the forest product demands of the

society and increase the contribution of forest resources to the national economy through

appropriate management”. To achieve the stated objectives, the policy identified the following six

strategies:

(i) Promoting private forest development and conservation;

(ii) Promoting forest development technologies;

(iii) Strengthening forest product markets;

(iv) Managing state forests;

(v) Preventing deforestation; and

(vi) Establishing an up-to-date information database (MoEFCC, 2018).

6

However, the 2007 law only recognised state and private forests and overlooked the benefit to

local communities from the forests. This meant that all restored forest land was treated as state

property, and so even after decades of restoration effort by a given community, the state could

reallocate the land to other users. This tenure uncertainty demotivated communities from

investing in forest landscape restoration. Since they did not clearly stand to benefit from

landscape restoration and tree-planting, there was little incentive for them to take care of state-

owned lands. Consequently, in 2018, the government revised the 2007 policy and enacted a new

forest policy which clearly recognised the rights of communities and acknowledged their role in

managing natural forests and establishing plantations without unduly compromising ecological

services or biodiversity (Center for International Forestry Research [CIFOR], 2018). Accordingly,

the new law contained the following three key changes which recognised participatory forest

management as a vehicle to enhance the role of communities in sharing responsibilities and

benefits of managing natural forests in accordance with agreed-upon management plans:

i. Providing incentives for the private forest developers through mechanisms such as lease-

free land, better access to land use and forest ownership certificates, and tax holiday until

and including the first harvest (for private investors and associations) and the second

harvest (for communities);

ii. Assessing severe penalties against those who expand farming into forests; tamper with

forest boundaries; or set fire, harm endangered species, settle, hunt or graze animals in

state, communal, association or private forests; and

iii. According to CIFOR (2018), the Ethiopian government has a primary goal of restoring 22

million ha of degraded lands and forests by 2030 as part of the 2011 Bonn Challenge and

the 2014 New York Climate Summit’s goal of restoring 350 million of ha worldwide by

2030. By doing so, the country aims not only to increase tree cover and restore degraded

forests, but also to significantly enhance the forestry sector’s contribution to agricultural

production systems, water and energy; to improve food and nutritional security; and to

create more opportunities for employment and household income.

From the policy overview presented above, it is possible to clearly understand that the national

forest policy favours bamboo forest development. Bamboo forests are visibly encompassed in

policy, from the definition of the word “forest” to objectives and strategies. It is integrated with

other tree species in degraded land restoration, income generation, job and employment creation

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis, Ethiopia

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projects. Hence, Ethiopia’s forest policy favours and promotes bamboo forest resource

conservation and development.

3.2 National Biodiversity Strategy of Ethiopia

The Ethiopian government has drafted and implemented various policies and strategies for

sustainable natural resource management, including biodiversity conservation and sustainable

development. The country is taking various steps to mainstream biodiversity into sectoral and

cross-sectoral plans and programmes. Devising and implementing the Climate Resilient Green

Economy (CRGE) strategy is one of the recent major steps geared towards successful

mainstreaming of biodiversity into agriculture, forest, power and transport (EBI, 2014).

Forest biodiversity is among the biodiversity systems which play a vital role in ensuring food

security and sustainable livelihoods for millions of households throughout Ethiopia. It provides

ecosystem services and contributes an estimated 4% to the gross domestic product (GDP)

(MoEFCC, 2017). Hence, conservation- and sustainable utilization-related activities are being

conducted vigorously. As a result, significant improvements in the status of some biodiversity

resources have been achieved (EBI, 2015).

Based on the new classification scheme, the vegetation resources of the country are classified

as follows: Afroalpine and sub-Afroalpine, dry evergreen montane forest and grassland complex,

moist evergreen montane forest, Acacia-commiphora woodland, Combretum-terminalia

woodland, lowland semi-evergreen forest, desert and semi-desert scrubland and inland waters

(EBI, 2014). Of these forest ecosystems, the Afroalpine and Sub-Afroalpine, which are

traditionally referred as the Afromontane rainforests, are the forest ecosystems encompassing

the highland bamboo. They occur in the south-western part of the Ethiopian highlands and the

Harenna forest on the southern slopes of the Bale Mountains (IBC, 2005). These forests

characteristically contain a mixture of Zigba (Podocarpusfalcatus) and broadleaved species as

emergent trees in the canopy including Kerero (Pouteria (Aningeria) adolfi-friederici). Locally

called Kerkha, the highland bamboo (Arundinariaalpina) is also one of the characteristic species,

although not uncommonly found locally (EBI, 2014).

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The other forest ecosystem category, which encompasses the lowland bamboo, is the

Combretum-Terminalia Woodland Ecosystem. This ecosystem is characterised by small to

moderate-sized trees with fairly large deciduous leaves. These include Yetan Zaf (Boswellia

papyrifera), Anogeissus leiocarpa, Stereospermum kunthianum and the species of Weyba

(Terminalia), Combretum and Lannea. The solid-stemmed lowland bamboo, Shimel

(Oxytenanther aabyssinica) is prominent in river valleys and locally on the escarpment of western

Ethiopia (IBC, 2005). Moreover, the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute has identified forest

development challenges such as overgrazing, shifting cultivation and the encroachment and

expansion of small-scale and commercial agriculture, which are aggressively undertaken in the

Combretum-Terminalia Woodland Ecosystem and threaten many wild animals (including lions,

cheetahs, giraffes and buffaloes) and unique plants such as Vitellaria paradoxa, Oxythanthera

abyssinica and Boswellia papyrifera (EBI, 2014).

Considering these facts, it is possible to understand why the biodiversity conservation strategy

underlined the conservation and sustainable use of a forest biodiversity system where the

bamboo tree species are included. The strategy promotes bamboo resource conservation as the

it has clearly identified the forestry sector as a principal component of the CRGE strategy, which

is geared towards the sustainable utilization of natural resources. Moreover, while the strategy

includes challenges to forest development, it specifically listed challenges associated with

bamboo forests. Hence, the strategy clearly favours bamboo resource development.

3.3 Ethiopia’s Energy Policy

Ethiopia is endowed with a variety of renewable energy resources, including hydro, wind,

geothermal, solar and bioenergy. However, the energy sector is underdeveloped, with 90% of the

needs being met from biomass fuels, particularly wood, charcoal and animal dung (Ministry of

Mining and Energy [MoME], 2010). Fuelwood accounts for more than 80% of households’ energy

supply today. Wood is still the most widely used baking and cooking fuel in institutions serving

large groups of people (Geissle et al., 2013). In commercial food and beverage catering

establishments (restaurants, bakeries, local drink houses) and social institutions, including

schools, universities, hospitals, prisons and military camps, wood is used for food and drink

preparation (MoME, 2010).

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis, Ethiopia

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The country’s growing population requires more fuelwood and more agricultural production which,

in turn, creates the need for new farmland, both of which accelerate deforestation and forest

degradation (Ministry of Water and Energy [MoWE], 2013). Petroleum fuel import also has

increased over the past decade. Demand for biomass energy has also increased, exerting

pressure on existing forest and woodlands (Geissle et al., 2013). Projections indicate that unless

action is taken to change the traditional development path, annual petroleum and fuelwood

consumption will rise significantly (MoWE, 2012). The newly revised policy has therefore indicated

the actions to be undertaken to change the traditional development path.

Integrated in the CRGE, the policy has prioritised two strategies that could help to develop

sustainable forestry and reduce fuelwood demand (MoWE, 2013). As clearly stipulated in the

policy, the first strategy targets reducing demand for fuelwood via the dissemination and usage

of fuel-efficient stoves and/or alternative fuel cooking and baking techniques (such as electric or

biogas stoves) leading to reduced forest degradation. The second strategy aims to increase

afforestation, reforestation and forest management to increase carbon sequestration in forests

and woodlands. These initiatives would result in an increased storage of carbon in Ethiopia’s

forests, provide a basis for sustainable forestry and even allow the forestry sector to yield negative

emissions, i.e. store more carbon in growing forests than is emitted from deforestation and forest

degradation (CRGE, 2011).

3.4 Climate Change Policy of Ethiopia

Ethiopia is one of the developing countries vulnerable to climate variability and change. The low

level of socioeconomic development, inadequate infrastructure, lack of institutional capacity and

a higher dependency on the natural resources base make the country more vulnerable to climatic

factors, including climate variability and extreme climate events (CRGE, 2011). Cognizant of this

fact, the Ethiopian government has put in place various policies and strategies that may directly

or indirectly address climate change. The most important policies and/or strategies concerning

climate change include the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), CRGE Strategy

and Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD), and the later

REDD+.

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3.4.1 The National Adaptation Programme of Action

The NAPA is a mechanism within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

(UNFCCC), designed to help developing countries, including Ethiopia, to identify their priority

adaptation needs to climate change and to communicate these needs to the Conference of

Parties (COP) of the UNFCCC and other concerned bodies. It is multi-disciplinary and

complementary to existing plans and programmes, such as the national action plan to combat

desertification and the national biodiversity strategies (NAPA, 2019).

The purpose of the NAPA document for Ethiopia is to identify immediate and urgent adaptation

activities that address the current and anticipated adverse effects of climate change including

extreme climate events (NAPA, 2007). From a policy perspective, the ultimate goal is to reduce

climate change impacts through development programmes and projects that contribute towards

the alleviation of the worsening natural resource depletion and environmental deterioration (NAPA,

2019). Therefore, programmes that address climate change impacts (drought, famine, flood etc.),

vulnerability and adaptation measures are treated as an integral component of the overall

development programmes that involve all the relevant sectors through short- and long-term

programmes, particularly in the areas of natural resource management, utilization, development

and conservation (NAPA, 2007).

Among different adaptation options, enhancing sustainable forest management is identified as an

option to create situations that enable sustainable management of forest resources and their

contribution to the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities, in particular and the national

economy at large (NAPA, 2019). As mentioned in the NAPA (2019), the benefits of doing this will

be twofold: enhancing the adaptive capacity of forests and forest landscapes and improving

forest-based incomes and the national economy. In addition, the NAPA recognised and

mainstreamed the contribution of forest resources to other production sectors, mainly energy,

agriculture and industry. Hence, the commercial afforestation and reforestation practices and

wide-scale promotion of forest health activities are key issues in the policy document (NAPA,

2019). By and large, Ethiopia’s NAPA initiation is part of its grand ambition of mainstreaming

climate change mitigation and adaptation into its national development plans, in particular into its

Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) (NAPA, 2019; CRGE, 2011).

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis, Ethiopia

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3.4.2 The CRGE Strategy of Ethiopia

Recognizing the close links between environmental and development concerns, Ethiopia has

been working to integrate climate considerations into its broader development planning processes.

The Ethiopian CRGE initiative, launched in 2011, laid the foundation for integrated planning for

climate-resilient green development (CRGE, 2011). As clearly mentioned in the CRGE strategy

document (2011), the country aims to achieve middle-income status by 2025 while it develops a

green economy. In this regard, the forestry sector is identified as one pillar of the CRGE strategy

to develop an environmentally sustainable and climate resilient economy through protecting and

re-establishing forests for their economic and ecosystem services, including as carbon stocks,

which will bring the country to middle-income status with net zero emission by 2030 (CRGE, 2011).

According to the director of forest policy strategy and regulation at the Ministry of Environment,

Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) of Ethiopia, bamboo is positioned to make a significant

contribution by helping to drive local economic growth, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, restore

degraded lands and combat desertification (INBAR, 2019).

As mentioned in the CRGE strategy document (2011), the CRGE strategy is considered fairly

unique in terms of its integration of economic and climate change goals. It consists of climate

resilience and green economy components. The CR component focuses on climate change

adaptation and mitigation programmes, whereas the GE component of the CRGE strategy aims

to achieve economic development targets in a resource-efficient way that overcomes the possible

conflict between economic growth and fighting climate change. It is based on four pillars:

improving crop and livestock production practices for higher food security and farmer income

while reducing emissions; protecting and re-establishing forests for their economic and ecosystem

services, including as carbon stocks; expanding electricity generation from renewable sources of

energy for domestic and regional markets; and leapfrogging to modern and energy-efficient

technologies in transport, industrial sectors and buildings (CRGE, 2011).

To reduce pressure on forests, the CRGE initiative has prioritised two strategies that could help

to develop sustainable forestry and reduce fuelwood demand. The first strategy is to reduce

demand for fuelwood via the dissemination and usage of fuel-efficient stoves and/or alternative-

fuel cooking and baking techniques leading to reduced forest degradation, whereas the second

strategy’s focus is on increasing afforestation, reforestation, and forest management to increase

carbon sequestration in forests and woodlands (CRGE, 2011). Moreover, the Reducing

12

Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) project, launched in 2011, is

evolving as an integral part of a wider green economic growth, which is a component of the CRGE

strategy (MoEFCC, 2017).

3.5 The Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP)

Ethiopia’s GTP explicitly aims to achieve the sustainability of growth based on the principle that

“environmental conservation plays a vital role in sustainable development’’ (CRGE, 2011). The

strategy or the plan was geared to build a green economy which offers an opportunity to achieve

the country’s economic development targets sustainably. As boldly highlighted in the first GTP

document (2010-2015), green growth will be achieved by developing good stewardship of

resources and seizing opportunities for innovation based on the latest production platforms.

Sustainable forest management, i.e. protecting and re-establishing forests for their economic and

ecosystem services, including as carbon stocks, was identified as one the four pillars of the GTP

(MoEFCC, 2017).

Moreover, the second GTP (GTP-II, 2016-2020) has continued as a comprehensive national plan

for public investments, as well as legal and institutional reforms, to create an enabling

environment for the private sector and community engagement in the forestry sector. In this

regard, the main strategies or actions identified in GTP-II include creating an enabling

environment for the private forestry sector and related industries; enhancing the establishment of

community-based organisations to allow active community participation in the sustainable

management and conservation of forests; and providing economic and ecological benefits to

vulnerable communities, especially for women and youths (MoEFCC, 2018). Additionally, in GTP-

II, the government of Ethiopia has given due attention to the bamboo sector. In the plan, bamboo

has been chosen as a critical species for promoting livelihood improvement and environmental

rehabilitation. Bamboo has been designated for reforesting 700,000 ha of degraded land, and

500,000 ha have been allocated for value-added product creation (MoEFCC, 2017).

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis, Ethiopia

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4. Complementary Policies and Programmes for Bamboo Development in Ethiopia

Based on the Ethiopian policy environment reviewed thus far, it is possible to say that most of the

policies and strategies of the programmes directly or indirectly touched upon and included the

bamboo sector. Several pieces of legislation and policies governing forestry, land, energy, climate

change and the environment sector have implications for the development of the bamboo sector.

However, few policies or strategies specifically identify bamboo development strategies in a way

that could partially or fully complement the bamboo sector development of the country. The

following section answers the question to what extent these policies, strategies and programmes

complement bamboo resource development.

4.1 The National REDD+ Strategy of Ethiopia

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation and enhancing forest carbon

stocks (REDD+) has become one of the global instruments to curb greenhouse gas emissions

and to mitigate climate change (www.forestcarbonpartnership.org). Ethiopia has been

participating in the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) since 2008 and prepared the

Readiness Preparation Proposal (R-PP) in April 2010 through a participatory consultative process,

which was approved in March 2011 (MoEFCC, 2017). Following this, the country began

implementing a national REDD+ readiness programme in January 2013 through the World Bank’s

FCPF programme. Over 50% of the emission reduction target in Ethiopia’s CRGE strategy is

estimated to come from implementation of REDD+ (MoEFCC, 2018). Since the forest sector

development is one of the pillars of Ethiopia’s CRGE, the REDD+ programme is an important

driver in achieving the forest sector development objective, in particular, and the economic

development, in general (MoEFCC, 2017).

According to the rationale of REDD+ strategy (2015) of Ethiopia, REDD+ is an appropriate

approach and instrument to effectively reverse the millennial process of deforestation and forest

degradation in the country, if properly implemented with the required institutional reforms. The

14

strategy reasoned that the causes of deforestation are deeply rooted in the economic, social,

institutional, cultural, and political and governance layers of the country. Likewise, the REDD+

strategy used the review work of the Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI, 2010) to

identify and prioritise the main strategic options to mitigate deforestation and forest degradation,

specifically targeting the main drivers such as agricultural conversion and unsustainable fuelwood

consumption. Accordingly, improving agriculture, soil and forest management and adopting

alternative clean energy supplies and energy efficiency are measures identified by the national

REDD+ strategy (Table 1).

Table 1. Strategic options to mitigate deforestation and forest degradation

Strategic options Deliverables

Reducing land conversion to agriculture (including pastureland)

Increase farmland productivity

Adopt grazing land management and pasture improvement techniques

Integrate animal feed and fertiliser production into reforestation

Support profitable forestry

Limiting the impact of fuelwood consumption

Increase rural energy production

Promote the use of efficient fuelwood stoves and other cost-effective green technologies

Develop sustainable forest management practices

Promote development of wood plantations of fast-growing species for fuelwood consumption or timber, enabling sustainable logging

Encourage participatory forest management: enabling local communities to be part of decision-making in all aspects of forest management

Protect forest areas primarily through means of laws

Other solutions to improve carbon sequestration

Implement a large-scale afforestation and reforestation programme covering 3.0 million ha by 2030

Source: Draft National REDD+ Strategy (2015).

Furthermore, participatory forest management (PFM), tree planting outside of forest areas and

area enclosure or assisted natural regeneration (ANR) were identified as forest REDD+ options

(United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 2017). In a broader view, PFM can comprise

a wide range of interventions to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, including tree

planting outside of forests and area enclosure/ANR. According to UNDP (2017), the PFM

programme targets around 1,010,000 ha, including 10,000 ha of commercial plantation for

fuelwood and saw log production, 800,000 ha of natural forest for gum and resin and 200,000 ha

of natural bamboo forest. Similarly, sustainable biomass energy development (improved cook

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis, Ethiopia

15

stove production and dissemination, and improved kilns for charcoal production) is identified as a

strategic option to address deforestation and forest degradation related to biomass energy.

4.2 The Ethiopian Bamboo Development Strategy and Action Plan

For a long time, the bamboo sector has been functioning without an explicit national bamboo

policy, strategy or action plan, except for regulating the transportation of bamboo culms and

promoting skill development (Tsinghua University and INBAR, 2018; Mulatu et al., 2016).

Therefore, there has been the need for a larger scope in the development of the bamboo sector

by implementing a suitable policy and institutional framework and for integrating bamboo into

strategic policies and programme priorities of the government. In Addis Ababa, interviews were

conducted with experts from the Ethiopian Environmental and Forestry Research Institute

(EEFRI), INBAR, and the Ethiopian Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commission

(EFCCC). These interviews provided information on the status of bamboo at the national level,

the potential for improving the bamboo market, and the main constraints regarding the exploitation

of bamboo.

A discussion with a senior forestry expert at EFCCC who also doubles as INBAR’s focal person,

revealed that the commission has recently prepared a 10-year national bamboo development

strategy and action plan (2020-2030). The strategy aims to reduce poverty by creating job

opportunities, ensuring green economic development and restoring degraded lands. He noted

that, by implementing the strategy, Ethiopia will be restoring part of the 1.5 million ha of degraded

lands which the government promises to rehabilitate in the upcoming five years.

Recently, the Ethiopian government has ratified and published the bamboo development strategy

and action plan policy document. The strategy and action plan clearly identifies the current

challenges and barriers to the development of a strong bamboo market which is currently under-

developed and highlights where better market linkages are needed. Furthermore, the strategy

and action plan will guide and provide strategic directions and concrete actions to achieve the

objectives of the government to transform and sustainably manage the country’s bamboo

resources and develop sustainable green industries that will enhance the food, water, energy and

livelihood security of millions of people. The Ethiopian government has set an ambitious target to

become the leading high value bamboo producer and supplier in Africa by 2030 (EFCCC and

INBAR, 2020). Hence, the government has outlined the resources, challenges and opportunities

16

for the country to achieve this vision. According to the strategy, the Ethiopian government will

facilitate the following:

i. An increase in the national bamboo area coverage from the existing 1.4 million ha to 1.6

million ha;

ii. The sustainable management of 200,000 ha of existing bamboo resources;

iii. The creation and/or strengthening of direct income and complementary employment

opportunities for about 500,000 green jobs with an annual income increase of 10%; create

100,000 new jobs in micro- and small-scale enterprises (MSMEs) and large-scale

industries;

iv. The production of 2 million m3 bamboo panels and boards;

v. The generation of 1-2 million tonnes of energy products from bamboo by-products;

vi. An increase in public awareness of bamboo resources and products; and

vii. An improvement in the capacity of the growers and processors involved in the entire value-

chain.

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis, Ethiopia

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5. Stakeholders in the Development of the Bamboo Sector

Bamboo cultivators, bamboo pole collectors, traders, wholesalers, bamboo processing

enterprises, NGOs and governmental departments are some of the key stakeholders involved in

bamboo resource development in Ethiopia. The roles they play have significant effects on

rehabilitation, conservation and management of bamboo forests. The role and responsibilities of

each stakeholder are presented as follows:

Bamboo resource producers: Lowland bamboo is planted on state-owned natural forests, and

surrounding communities use various parts of the bamboo, including the leaves as fodder and

medicine, as well as bamboo culms as poles for construction and household uses. Highland

bamboo is planted by smallholder farmers on their private farmlands and homesteads. Other

practices by smallholder farmers include agroforestry in the form of block planting and farm

boundaries. Highland bamboo is mostly domesticated and serves as the main source of raw

material for income and value addition. Generally, smallholders prefer to plant highland bamboo

due to the existing market for bamboo poles, its potential application for multiple uses and its ease

of processing and management (Durai et al., 2018).

Middlemen: These are actors ranging from village-level traders to town and city wholesalers.

They purchase bamboo culms and products directly at the farm gate from producers and sell to

bamboo enterprises and individual users.

Bamboo processing enterprises: In the Amhara region, semi-modern enterprises or MSMEs

are functional, producing bamboo furniture and, to some extent, bamboo craft products. In

addition, there are large industries (located in Injibara and Addis Ababa) producing industrial

products, such as bamboo flooring tiles, bamboo sticks and curtains.

Consumers: Individuals or entities that purchase bamboo products both in rural and urban areas.

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Development agents: These agents empower smallholders through the provision of tool kits,

technical support and training on sustainable management and harvesting, bamboo plantation

establishment and management.

INBAR and other NGOs: INBAR has been engaged in supporting activities for improved

management and utilization of bamboo resources in Ethiopia. In collaboration with the federal

MSE development agency, INBAR has provided a number of skill- and capacity-building trainings

for producers, bamboo craftsmen and enterprises. In addition, the organisation has conducted

various research projects on bamboo resource mapping, utilization and management, as well as

value chain analysis and market assessment.

Governmental organisations: The Ethiopian government, through ministries, commissions and

agencies, such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the EFCCC play a crucial

role in bamboo resource development. They regulate the use and management of bamboo at all

administration levels. They also formulate and enforce appropriate policies, strategies and

programmes on sustainable bamboo development and utilization. They have the authority to

provide permission to bamboo traders for extraction and also collect forest revenue in the form of

royalties. In the following section, the duties and responsibilities of specific governmental

organisations that have key roles in bamboo development are stated briefly.

Universities and research centres:

Universities and research centres have a significant role in bamboo resource development and

management. The have the following roles and responsibilities in bamboo resource development.

i. Provide in-service training on issues related to bamboo development in collaboration with

other agencies;

ii. Provide trained manpower that has skill, knowledge and stewardship in bamboo resource

management;

iii. Undertake research activities in the field of bamboo resource development and value

chain and disseminate findings through appropriate media;

iv. Assist the monitoring and evaluation of programmes designed to facilitate the

implementation of the bamboo resource development and utilization;

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis, Ethiopia

19

v. Develop research facilities such as laboratories, greenhouses, trial sites, and vegetative

propagation of highland bamboo;

vi. Establish bamboo gin banks and work on propagation of lowland bamboo by seed; and

vii. Conduct conferences, workshops, seminars on bamboo resource production,

conservation and utilization.

Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources:

i. Integrate bamboo use and development elements in agricultural education, agricultural

extension programmes and services;

ii. Provide training to field staff in information dissemination on bamboo development and

related issues;

iii. Engage in preparing nurseries and bamboo farms for soil and water conservation

schemes in bamboo growing areas of the country;

iv. Increase efforts at enhancing bamboo restoration, development and productivity to meet

the growing demand for forest products etc.

Ministry of Transport:

i. Improve road networks in bamboo growing areas to facilitate the connectivity of bamboo

production and investment areas; and

ii. Ensure the protection of bamboo resources in areas where new road construction takes

place.

Ethiopian Forest, Environment and Climate Change Commission:

i. Provide training and deploy environmental extension workers for bamboo forest;

ii. Formulate appropriate environmental education policies to encourage community

participation in bamboo protection and development activities;

iii. Develop guidelines on the use, conservation and development of bamboo;

iv. Extend technical assistance to regional, zonal and other bodies to promote effective

bamboo development, conservation and utilization; and

v. Monitor practices pertaining to environment and natural resource use and management

and develop specific regulatory laws for bamboo development.

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Ministry of Education, Science and Higher Education:

i. Introduce bamboo as an important resource in the academic curricula of junior and senior

secondary schools, as well as higher institutions of learning;

ii. Expand education and assist in bamboo basic training through the educational media

agency; and

iii. Study the factors militating against bamboo development participation in the educational

system and design appropriate corrective measurements.

Ministry of Innovation and Technology:

i. Support sustainable management and use of bamboo through product innovation,

technology promotion and transfer;

ii. Promote bamboo development-related materials in the print and other media for

technological application; and

iii. Provide training opportunities to those who are interested in innovating and applying

innovation in bamboo production.

Ministry of Health:

i. Strengthen and expand existing health facilities to improve the health of bamboo workers;

and

ii. Improve the malaria conditions from low land bamboo production areas.

Labour and Social Affairs Commission:

i. Establish mechanisms within the ministry that will permit the collection and representation

of data concerning employment and underemployment for bamboo development; and

ii. Monitor the implementation of legislation of fair hiring and hiring practices in bamboo

sectors of the economy with particular reference to women and youth.

Ministry of Housing and Urban Development:

Design the mechanism for using bamboo in modern housing construction to solve the problem of

housing in urban areas of Ethiopia.

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis, Ethiopia

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Planning and Development Commission:

i. Incorporate activities related to the implementation of the bamboo integration policy in the

national development plan;

ii. Encourage and extend technical assistance to sectoral agencies in the integration of

bamboo development processes;

iii. Develop guidelines for the incorporation of these variables at both micro and macro

planning levels; and

iv. Evaluate and monitor planning activities in the various sectors for ensuring that the

guidelines indicated above are taken into consideration in their respective planning

activities.

Ministry of Finance and Economy:

i. Facilitate the mobilization of external resources for the development and implementation

of bamboo programmes; and

ii. Monitor, follow up and evaluate bamboo development programs.

Ministry of Culture and Tourism:

i. Mobilise and promote bamboo development through traditional folkloric performing arts,

as well as modern indigenous theatrical institutions and creative groups and individuals,

at the national, regional and community levels; and

ii. Create enabling conditions to develop bamboo growing and production areas as a

source of tourism.

Ministry of Trade and Industry:

Bamboo flooring, furniture and bamboo plywood for truck carriage and bamboo moulding board

for concrete development and investment on this issue;

i. Bamboo charcoal and its side-product bamboo acetum/vinegar;

ii. Bamboo pulping and paper, and edible bamboo shoots; and

iii. Bamboo fibre and textile and bamboo chemical utilization.

iv. Eco-tourism value of bamboo is another important investment area.

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Federal Micro- and Small-Enterprise Development Agency:

The agency could cooperate with INBAR and other organisations to provide training for individuals

or enterprises that work on traditional bamboo furniture to renovate and enable technological

transfer of traditional production to modern industry.

Ministry of Water and Energy Development:

i. Provide energy for industries engaged in bamboo investment;

ii. Provide irrigation water for low and high land bamboo growing areas; and

iii. Promote efficient utilization of bamboo as the source of bioenergy (charcoal).

Ethiopian Industrial Park Development Corporation:

Allocate suitable land, building and infrastructure for investors in existing and new industrial parks.

Ministry of Revenue (MoR) and Ethiopian Customs Commission (ECC):

Review the existing levies, taxes and royalties related to bamboo transport and industry products

and provide tax incentives for the bamboo sector.

Ethiopian Cooperative Agency (ECA):

Strengthen farmers, primary processors and industry cooperatives (horizontal linkages); develop

vertical linkages among cooperatives.

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis, Ethiopia

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6. Challenges facing Bamboo Sector Development in Ethiopia

According to a remote sensing survey conducted in 2018, Ethiopia had approximately 1.47 million

ha of bamboo (Zhao et al. 2018). However, the socioeconomic and ecological benefits obtained

from the bamboo resource are still very limited, and there are several factors impeding bamboo

development in the country. The natural bamboo (mainly lowland bamboo) forests are under

threat from deforestation and degradation owing to poor management practices (Tsinghua

University and INBAR, 2018; Mulatu et al., 2016). Bamboo grown on natural or state forests is

theoretically under the protection of the state and cannot be harvested. However, in reality, the

state bamboo forests remain open access resources, where local communities harvest bamboo

poles for construction, fuelwood and other uses. Lack of awareness of the skills to use bamboo

is among the causes of bamboo forest degradation (Boissière et al., 2019). A higher number of

old bamboo culms are left standing in the bamboo clump and are not used, while the young poles

are harvested for value addition. Mature culms are rarely harvested, thus restricting the growing

space for new upcoming shoots while creating competition for above ground resources such as

light and water from rain (Mulatu et al., 2016). This condition seems to have hindered the

emergence of new bamboo shoots and contributed to the reduction in the size of bamboo culms.

Another challenge for sustainable bamboo use is the lack of road infrastructure and access to

markets. There are instances of overharvesting and underutilization of the resource depending

on the accessibility and remoteness of the location. For instance, lowland bamboo forests are

overexploited in Kurumuk, Kibur-Amsa and Guba districts, while they are underutilised in the

Kamash district of Benishangul Gumuz Regional State. The highland bamboo forests are largely

underutilised in the highlands of the Masha district and Bale mountains, but they are overexploited

in the Bonga district of SNNP (Durai et al., 2018; Tsinghua University and INBAR, 2018).

Moreover, the expansion of investment in small and large agricultural projects and changing

bamboo stands to other land uses, open grazing and fire hazards are identified as major causes

for depletion of lowland bamboo in Benishangul Gumuz regional state (Bessie et al., 2016;

Teklemariam et al. 2015; Moreda, 2013). For example, according to Boissière et al. (2019), about

350,000 ha of land have been transferred to 600 investors in the last few years to produce cereal,

24

pulses, oil crops, cotton and burlap, and for livestock production and agroforestry practices. The

same scenario applies to highland bamboo forests. The conversion of bamboo forests to farmland,

grazing land and human settlements, coupled with unsustainable harvesting for income

generation, house construction and fuel, have caused the deterioration of highland bamboo

forests (Tsinghua University and INBAR, 2018). Moreover, the conversion of highland bamboo

forest to other competing land uses, such as agricultural land, causes habitat loss and

fragmentation for wild animals such as Bale monkeys, according to Mekonnen et al. (2017).

The experts from Bureau of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Environment, Forest and

Wildlife Protection Authority were interviewed in Injibara and Assosa to describe the challenges

of bamboo resource development in their respective regions. They responded that the lack of

coordination among sectors, weak linkage among stakeholders, weak policy enforcement and

regulation, lack of labour and support and limited budget and resource allocation are key

constraints that have hindered the bamboo sector’s development. Similarly, Durai et al. (2018)

claimed that, though many institutions (both governmental and non-governmental) have a

mandate to promote the bamboo sector, there is a general lack of coordination, overlap of roles

and responsibilities, a lack of policy and planning, and limited manpower and resources to

effectively promote the bamboo sector. Policy and institutional influence on the sector is limited

except in regulating the transportation of the bamboo culms. Public and private partnership

arrangements in the value chain are lacking in the bamboo sector. The intervention of the

government and non-governmental agencies is confined to product innovation in the MSE sector

(EFCCC and INBAR, 2020). These have resulted in underdevelopment of the sector.

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis, Ethiopia

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7. Opportunities and Incentives for Bamboo Development

In Ethiopia, bamboo is an important non-timber forest product (NTFP) which supports local

livelihoods. While the country is the largest producer of bamboo in Africa, the present utilization,

marketing and trade of bamboo products remains underdeveloped, with minimal contribution to

the economy (Lin et al., 2019). As we found from our observation in Assosa and Injibara, the use

of bamboo is mostly limited to the construction of traditional products, such as huts, beehives,

fencing, furniture and other household utensils. The craftsmen whom we interviewed claimed that

the current market and demand for handmade bamboo products is minimal. The existing

marketing structure of the bamboo sector is informal, and there are no connections, coordination,

and integration among the product markets and sources both at the local level and at central

markets. In addition, the participation of actors in the bamboo value chain remains at a low level

of knowledge, skills and value addition. However, there are a few existing enterprises, such as

Adal Industrial Plc and M&A Bamboo Furniture House Ltd in Addis Ababa and Abraham Geletaw

Toothpicks Manufacturing Plc in Injibara, which have specialised in processing bamboo furniture

with higher value. These companies produce various bamboo products, including bamboo

incense, bamboo furniture, briquette charcoal, bamboo blinds, toothpicks, table mats and ceiling

material.

According to MoEFCC (2016), bamboo and bamboo product sales contributed USD 1.4 million in

2012/13. In 2014/15, bamboo’s contribution showed progress and accounted for USD 2.8 million,

while 750,000 people depended on the resource for their livelihoods (MoEFCC, 2017). However,

Ethiopia plays a negligible role in the international bamboo trade. As data on average annual

imports and exports of bamboo products from 2014 to 2016 show, Ethiopia exported bamboo

products worth USD 0.23 million annually, accounting for only about 0.02% of global exports. The

country imported bamboo plywood, bamboo pulp and paper, bamboo and rattan furniture and

bamboo flooring products worth USD 5.7 million annually. This accounted for about 0.43% of

global imports (Durai et al., 2018; UN Comtrade Database, 2017).

26

According to Durai et al. (2018), large quantities of timber, steel and plastic products imported by

Ethiopia could be substituted with bamboo. A technical and market potential analysis of shortlisted

bamboo products showed that industrial products, such as bamboo pulp and paper and bamboo

composites, could be used as a substitute for timber. Bamboo stick-based products, such as

curtains, blinds, incense sticks, toothpicks and matchsticks, can be produced from the existing

indigenous bamboo species. These products have tremendous potential in domestic markets in

addition to the possibility for export (Durai et al., 2018; Endalamaw et al., 2013). As Durai et al.

(2018) indicated, MSEs’ products, such as bamboo furniture, craft products and household

products, including bamboo basketry, crafts and bamboo mats, also have a good market potential.

Most importantly, with Ethiopia’s large resource of lowland bamboo, bamboo bioenergy, pulp and

paper have a huge potential.

While there is a lot to be done to build a strong and productive bamboo sector, there are some

bright spots in the country’s bamboo economy. Firstly, Ethiopia has a conducive and biologically

productive climate and soil resource which can make bamboo-based investment rewarding. The

country can sustainably produce three million cubic meters of dry weight annually from its two

commercially important bamboo species: Oxytenanthera abyssinica and Yushania alpine

(Endalamaw et al., 2013). Moreover, in recent years, the house construction sector in the country

has shown the most dramatic changes, and there is now a high demand for forest products for

constructing residential and commercial houses. This will create a good opportunity for plantation

of new bamboo-based factories in Ethiopia. Likewise, the government of Ethiopia, through the

Federal Micro and Small Enterprises Development Agency, is promoting the development of

small-scale enterprises in the bamboo, wood and metal sectors for job creation and economic

development. Moreover, rapid road and railway infrastructure and hydroelectric power plant

development projects will increasingly provide the infrastructure network required to reduce the

costs of production and transportation. These conditions will create a unique opportunity for the

development of the bamboo sector in Ethiopia.

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis, Ethiopia

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8. Conclusion

The Ethiopian government has put in place various policies, strategies and programmes for

sustainable natural resource management, including forest, water, land, energy and biodiversity.

The bamboo sector has received attention in various pieces of legislation and policies governing

the forestry, land, energy, climate change and the environment. It has been integrated in the

national development plans and strategies, including green growth strategies and climate resilient

GE strategy, which are at the heart of the sustainable development plans of the country. Bamboo

is targeted as a valuable species in poverty reduction, job creation, climate change adaptation

and mitigation, green economic development, and land rehabilitation and in the restoration plans

of the country. A national bamboo strategy and action plan have been developed with input from

diverse stakeholders. The strategy is the first step in the right direction to increase and add value

to current bamboo development, sustainable management and utilization efforts in the country.

Highly critical to the success of the strategy and action plan will be putting in place key measures

such as the establishment of a bamboo development unit that will coordinate the implementation

of the plan.

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9. Recommendations

The following recommendations aim at promoting the development of the bamboo sector in

Ethiopia to harness its full potential with regard to socioeconomic and ecological benefits.

Defining organisational structure and creating enabling institutions

The recent introduction of the bamboo strategy and action plan is plausible in terms of policy

document; however, implementation of strategic objectives is critical. In view of the difficulties

likely to be encountered in implementing the new plan, a specialised unit for bamboo could be

established under the EFCCC. This unit would be directly responsible for the sustainable

development and management of the bamboo sector in Ethiopia. With the implementation of

policies, strategies and programmes taking place at the grassroots level, the establishment of

offices at the regional, zonal, district and smaller administrative unit levels could help legitimise

the relevance of bamboo as a resource to be harnessed and managed, as well as strengthen

institutional coordination for the better management of the bamboo resource in the country.

Build human capacity for sustainable bamboo development and management

Integrating bamboo development and management as a subject in the educational system could

help produce well-trained human resources that could support bamboo resource development,

product processing and marketing. Therefore, curricula of selected higher education institutions

which offer forestry and natural resource programmes can develop bamboo-related courses, such

as those related to sustainable bamboo management practice, bamboo value chain, and

renewable bamboo energy among others, and integrate them into in their curricula. In addition,

providing short-term training sessions to technical experts, farmers and other development

practitioners is crucially important to enhance and build their skills.

Regular bamboo forest inventory and an information management system

Collecting bamboo resource inventory on a regular basis is critical for sustainable management

of bamboo forest resources. A system of bamboo inventory management will be key to providing

policymakers and investors with the requisite information on available bamboo stock, the quality

of bamboo, the type of management practices and harvesting regime to be used, among other

important factors.

Bamboo Policy Integration Analysis, Ethiopia

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Create an enabling market environment and develop a bamboo value chain

A well-established market for bamboo products creates demand and an enabling environment for

artisans and manufacturers to innovate and enhance the bamboo value chain. The government

of Ethiopia must create an enabling environment for the bamboo value chain to develop and to

create market opportunities to increase the demand for bamboo products.

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