• World Bamboo Day is celebrated globally every September. The declaration was passed during the 8th World Bamboo Congress held in Bangkok in 2009.
• Day was set aside so people can learn and exchange information concerning the many uses of bamboo.
Image: Courtesy
Kenya will mark the World Bamboo Day on Friday, days after the government declared bamboo as a crop required in the economic development of the country.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko will lead the country in marking the day at the John Michuki Memorial Park in Nairobi under the theme, "Sustaining Kenya the Bamboo Way".
Victor Mwanga, chairman of the Bamboo Association of Kenya said the tree has been recognised as the 16th cash crop in the country. The declaration is to support the growing of bamboo by farmers and therefore improve its value chain as a marketed commodity.
“This was done during the last Cabinet meeting held last week on Thursday,” he told the Star on Thursday.
The World Bamboo Day is celebrated globally every September. The declaration was passed during the 8th World Bamboo Congress held in Bangkok in 2009.
Mwanga said the day was set aside so people can learn and exchange information concerning the many uses of bamboo.
“The day is aimed at raising awareness on the benefits of bamboo and to promote its use in everyday life. It is a day of celebration to increase awareness of the evergreen woody plant that has been a daily resource in the lives of many communities where it often grows naturally,” he said.
This will be the fourth time Kenya is celebrating with the first celebration having been held in Migori county in 2017, the second in Vihiga while last year it was held in Busia county.
“The significance of that is because the park has done quite a bit of environmental saving of the Nairobi River and also in honour of the late John Michuki for his environmental initiative during his time,” Mwanga said.
An exhibition of bamboo products will be held till Saturday, with women and youth showcasing their items.
According to the Bamboo Association of Kenya, an umbrella body that brings together players in the sector, Kenya has only one indigenous bamboo species, Yushania alpina growing naturally in the country.
The indigenous bamboo covers 140,000 hectares and is restricted to the five major water towers that include Mt Kenya, Aberdare Ranges, Mau ecosystem, Mt Elgon and Cherangany Hills.
Mwanga said that because of the restricted distribution and due to increased exploitation of the naturally growing bamboo, the government through the Kenya Forestry Research Institute introduced exotic bamboo species from Asia and India.
Twenty species were tried out of which 12 are now grown in different eco-zones of the country.
He urged Kenyans to adopt bamboo farming as it can be grown in most of the climatic conditions in the country. The tree grows within three to four years and can be harvested for the next 70 to 100 years.
A bamboo tree seedling sells at between Sh150 to Sh200 and Mwanga said the association has recognised nursery operators who put up seedlings for commercial purposes.
The Kenya Forest Research Institute, Kenya Forest Service, Ewaso Nyiro South Development Authority and the Kenya Water Towers all have certified bamboo nurseries in various locations in the country.