KEFRI/INBAR PROJECT, April 2000

Kenya Forestry Research Institute

P.O. Box 20412

NAIROBI

Tel: 0154 - 32891-3

E-mail: kefri@arcc.or.ke

Cover Photo: Mrs. Margaret Nangekhe selling dried bamboo shoots in Kitale town

The application of bamboo and rattan in enhancing the economic and ecological well being of resource-dependent communities in Asia has been extensive. Systematic studies of the potential of bamboo and rattan, previous and current uses, and the social, cultural and political perspectives of these resources have been invaluable in promoting development through innovative and sustainable use of bamboo and rattan. The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) has played a pivotal role in advancing the bamboo and rattan sector in this region. INBAR has facilitated and coordinated research (including action-research) on biodiversity and genetic conservation, production systems, processing and utilisation and socio-economics and policy, while promoting capacity building at the national level. A number of rural development programs are being implemented in the region. INBAR has also been instrumental in promoting technology transfer and information exchange between network partners.

The replicability in Latin America and Africa of the success stories from South and South-east Asia is yet to be assessed, despite the immense interest from the private sector, non-governmental organizations and government institutions in using bamboo and rattan to fuel rural development in the region. The dearth of information on the bamboo and rattan sector has been the main constraint to the development of systematic and sustainable development programs.

In order to do this INBAR has commissioned national studies from selected countries in Africa and Central and South America. These national studies will provide a thorough review of the current state and future potential of the bamboo and rattan sectors in each country. Certain standard indicators will be documented in these studies to allow regional comparisons while other information will be country-specific. The national studies will help the experts decide the priority areas of study at the local, national and regional levels. This in turn will help INBAR clearly define its role within these countries as a facilitator and coordinator.

INBAR has developed an outline for these national studies. The outline serves two purposes. Firstly, it is meant to facilitate the data collection process and secondly, it should assist in the formulation of case study reports. The framework also guarantees that comparable information is provided in each national study. Information covered includes; general information on the country (geographical, topographical, climate, demography, political, environmental); the bamboo and rattan sector (biodiversity, production, utilisation, socio-economics, marketing, legislation); the institutional capacity at the national and local level; previous, ongoing and upcoming research and development interventions in the bamboo and rattan sector; and finally conclusions and recommendations.

After defining priority areas, case studies are undertaken in a number of carefully chosen, highly representative, locations within the country to collect raw data on all aspects of the present state of the bamboo and/or rattan sectors in those locations. The case studies investigate the Production-to-Consumption system of the resource. This involves the entire chain of activities to which the bamboo or rattan is subjected, from the production of raw materials (including the input market, where one exists) through the various stages of intermediate sales and processing, to the consumer of the final product. The system includes the technologies used to process the material as well as the social, political and economic environments in which these processes operate. These are all covered in the case study.

Once the raw data has been collected, it can then be analysed. It is classified into two focus areas; constraints and opportunities. Possible options that could address the constraints or take advantage of the opportunities and thereby promote development are identified, and a plan for development formulated. This plan is then developed into an action-research project, which is actually a micro- or mini-level rural development project. It is effectively a trial project, and is intended both to test whether the interventions suggested by the study are appropriate and to obtain feedback from the local population on all aspects of the program. The methodology and development options (interventions) of these projects would be finalized at a stakeholders meeting in the country prior to the start of the project.

If an impact analysis study towards the end of the action research project indicates that the project is successful, and the community agrees, this would then form the basis for developing similar programs that could be multiplied in scope and applied in similar situations throughout the region or nation. In this way we go from fully tested small-scale trial project to multiple projects with large impact in a short time. At this national or regional level, these programs would attract investment from donors interested in poverty alleviation and rural development.

The authors wish to acknowledge the role played by various individuals towards the successful completion of this study. First and foremost, our appreciation goes to all the District Forest Officers and Foresters in all the study areas for the logistical and facilitative roles in releasing information and linking the research team to other stakeholders. Secondly, we wish to acknowledge the role played Centre Directors and staff of Kenya Forestry Research Institute centres i.e. Kibwezi, Gede, Nyeri, Maseno, Kitale and Muguga. Special thanks to David Langat for the invaluable contribution to the final report. We also wish to thank all the respondents in all the study areas for their willingness to share information with us. Many thanks go to the management of the flower companies in Naivasha for the warm reception and quick release of information. The efforts the KEFRI drivers and secretarial staff for their support in fieldwork and report writing respectively are highly recognised. Last but not least, our thanks goes to INBAR for financial support and technical advice received through Dr. Madhav Karki and the provision of relevant literature to carry out the study.

Acknowledgements *

Table of contents *

List of figures *

List of tables *

Summary...............................................................................................................................vii

List of acronyms *

Bamboo resources...........................................................................................................................2

People.............................................................................................................................................3

The bamboo-people interaction........................................................................................................3

1.0 METHODS.....................................................................................................................5

1.3 Specific objectives......................................................................................................................6

2.0 FIELD STUDY METHODS...........................................................................................7

2.3 Parameters for data collection...................................................................................................8

3.0 RESULTS 12

Constraints and opportunities............................................................................................27

Potential activity models....................................................................................................28

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 30

REFERENCES 31

Appendix 1a: Bamboo collectors 32

Appendix 1b: Bamboo planters 34

Appendix 1c: Processors / manufacturers 38

Appendix 1d: Questions for proprietors 39

Appendix 1e: Bamboo product retailers (in market centres) 41

Appendix 1f: Consumer of final bamboo products 42

Appendix 2: Names of villages and number of individuals interviewed 43

Appendix 3: Reported uses of bamboo 44

Appendix 4: Bamboo logical framework for Kenya 46

Appendix 5: INBAR PCS farm model 47

Appendix 6: INBAR basketry model 49

Appendix 7: INBAR toothpicks model 51

Table 4b: Bamboo culms harvested in different villages *

Table 5: Estimated size of land holding in the study areas *

Table 6: Preference ranking of different bamboo uses in different regions of Kenya. *

Table 7: Average daily wage rates (labour) prevalent in the study areas *

Table 8: Inputs and outputs analysis for a typical basket processor *

Table 9: Average inputs and outputs analysis for toothpicks production *

Table 10: Cost and benefit analysis for a bamboo culms supplier *

Table 11: Price variation of selected bamboo products *

Plate 1: Bambusa vulgaris var. strata at a farm in Gede, Malindi *

Plate 2: Bamboo assembling point at Timboroa *

Plate 3: Processed flower props in Naivasha *

Plate 4: Processing of toothpicks in a Nairobi estate *

Plate 6: Bamboo props in a flower farm at Naivasha *

Plate 7: A newly constructed bamboo fence at Timboroa *

Ksh. Kenyan Shilling: (National currency). 100 Ksh. = 1.2 US$

Kenya in East Africa straddles the equator and extends between 34⁰ and 43⁰ East. It has 3, 446 km of land boundaries and is bordered by Uganda (933 km) in the east, by Ethiopia (830 km) and Sudan (232 km) in the north, by Tanzania (769 km) in the south and by Somalia (682 km) in the west. It has 536 km of coastline in the southeast. Kenya covers a total area of 582, 650 sq km, of which 569, 250 sq km is land and 13, 400 sq km is water.

Topography

The highest point in Kenya is Mount Kenya in the west at 5, 199 m. From here the land slopes down to the sea in the southwest and down to about 1000 m altitude in much of the rest of the country. The central highlands and Great Rift Valley occupy much of the western central part of the country. Kenya has few rivers: The main ones are the Galana, formed from the confluence of the Athi and Tsavo and which flows out to sea at Malindi, the Tana which arises in the central highlands and flows out to sea near Lamu and the Turkwel which flows into Lake Rudolf. Lake Rudolf is in the north of Kenya and is the largest lake. Part of Lake Victoria in the west belongs to Kenya. Natural resources include fluorspar, gold, limestone, rubies, salt barites and soda ash.

Land use

Only 7% of the land is used for arable crops. 37% is permanent pasture, 1% is down to perrenial crops. Kenya has about 1.24 million ha. of closed canopy indigenous forests left (2.1% of the total land area), out of a possible 6.8 million ha (Wass, 1995). Most of these are distributed in the moist central highlands where human population and agricultural settlement are also concentrated. In the extensive arid and semi-arid areas, forests are mainly found on isolated hilltops as island forests and in discontinuous narrow bands along some permanent and seasonal rivers. The country’s forests consist of a variety of vegetation communities determined principally by rainfall, altitude and soil type. These forests are mixtures of many tree species interspersed in places with glades. Large areas of bamboo are common in some highland forests.

Progressive reductions in forest cover have occurred since the turn of the century. Presently, the rate of reduction is estimated at 5 000 ha per year, caused mainly by clearing for agriculture, grazing and excisions. It is estimated that over 2.9 million people, representing about 530 000 households, live within 5 km of forest areas and a further 10 000 households live in these closed-canopy forests (MENR, 1994; Wass, 1995).

These forests are facing many threats from increasing demands from the growing population and unsustainable management and utilisation practices. The demand for wood is growing while the capacity to produce it has become increasingly constrained by the need to conserve existing forest resources and the need for expansion of agricultural and settlement land. For example, about 90 % of Kenya’s population depends on wood energy for cooking. It is estimated that about 71 % of the energy consumed annually come from wood in addition to provision of wood for construction, and paper (MENR, 1994). Forests provide a wide range of goods and services, including medicinal plants, honey, thatching grass and fodder besides playing crucial roles in soil and water conservation, particularly in regulation of water flow, control of floods and erosion, and conservation of biodiversity.

Bamboo Resources.

The dominant species of bamboo in Kenya is the indigenous Arundinaria alpina (K.Schum), locally known as Mirangi (Kikuyu), Techani (Pokot), Tegek (Kips.), Tekek (Sebei), Modi (Luo) and Mianzi (Kiswahili). A. alpina grows to 20 m tall in ideal conditions, but at high altitudes, the culms are relatively slender and short. Culms are thick-walled and branches emerge at the upper nodes. Shoots are produced during the rainy season and culms live for between seven and fourteen years. Flowering is thought to occur at forty-year intervals in the Aberdare ranges and at fifteen-year intervals in the Mt. Elgon range. Gregarious flowering is not known in A. alpina.

Arundinaria alpina K.Schum. occurs between 2290 and 3360 m above sea level (a.s.l.) and covers about 150 000 ha either as pure or mixed stands. Estimated coverage in the Timboroa plateau is about 31 000 ha, 65 000 ha in the Aberdare ranges and 51 000 ha in the Mount Kenya, Mt. Elgon and Mau ranges. The species is found mainly in areas of high agricultural potential where competition for land is intense. A. alpina is receiving attention from the government especially for catchment rehabilitation, regulation of water-flow and erosion control where it is a vitally important species.

Most of the bamboo resources in Kenya are found within government forests and in trustlands and farmlands, which were once within the Government forests but have since been degazetted. Another small proportion is found domesticated by farmers with Bambusa vulgaris as the dominant species. The Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) has introduced other bamboo species from Asian countries within forest areas and on farmlands on an experimental basis (Table 1).

KEFRI has carried out research on selection and growth of bamboo species in collaboration with Asian Research and Development Institutions since 1986. Through this research initiative, over twenty Asian bamboo species have been introduced into the country. Some of these are successfully growing in the field and on-farms in western, central and coastal Kenya. These are Kakamega, Vihiga, Yala (Siaya District), Kaptagat (Eldoret), Muguga (Kiambu District), Gede and Jilore (Malindi District). Some of the species trialled in Kenya include: Bambusa brandisii, B. vulgaris var. striata, B. bambos, B. tulda, Dendrocalamus membranaceous, D. strictus, D. brandisii, Gigantochloa aspera, Oxytenanthera abyssinica, Phyllostachys pubescens and Thyrsostachys siamensis.

People

The population of Kenya is 30, 339, 770 and is estimated to be growing at 1.53% per annum. Forty three percent of the population is under 15 years of age and 54% between 15 and 64 years old. The male/female ratio between ages 15-64 years of age is 1.01. The predominant ethnic groups are the Kikuyu (22%), Luhya (14%), Luo (13%), Kalenjin (12%) and the Kamba (11%). Other groups include the Kisii and Meru. Thirty eight percent of the population is Protestant and 28% Roman Catholic and seven percent Muslim. Twenty six percent adhere to indigenous beliefs. The official languages are English and Kiswahili but there are many other indigenous languages. Seventy percent of the female population and 86% of the male population over 15 years of age are literate.

The bamboo-people interaction

In the past, there has been indiscriminate harvesting of the indigenous bamboo species. The remaining bamboos are found in the mountainous areas and are important in the protection of water catchments. A government ban on cutting bamboo was proclaimed in 1982 to control further indiscriminate cutting and to allow the over-cut areas to regenerate to their full potential (MENR).

However, local farmers, small enterprises and the horticultural industry use bamboo under controlled licensing. The Aberdare ranges and Mt. Kenya are two areas where bamboo resources are plentiful and exploitation is going on to some extent. These areas are close to the cities of Nairobi and Naivasha which are major bamboo processing and consumption centres.

Bamboo provides raw materials for many industries such as the production of incense sticks, toothpicks, food and forage, water harvesting, medicine, props for commercial flower growing, tea picking baskets and making handicrafts. These activities provide job opportunities and entrepreneurship for the rural poor. Furthermore, bamboo is used for fencing and construction and constitutes a potentially vital source of raw material for the pulp and paper industry.

There are some constraints to the development of the bamboo sector in Kenya. According to the Forestry Department, bamboo is classified as a minor forest product. This has slowed the recognition and development of this resource. Other factors affecting the development of the bamboo resource include; the ban on harvesting, lack of awareness on its potential, production of unprocessed or semi-processed products, poorly developed marketing structures, lack of information on availability of planting materials, lack of information on the methods of propagation, establishment, crop management and harvesting (Kigomo, 1995; Kigomo, 1988).

Although some farmers have adopted cultivation of bamboo species, and controlled cutting is still allowed in natural forests under special license, detailed information on quality, quantity, and types of uses and characteristics of the users is unavailable to enable development of a vibrant and sustained bamboo enterprise sector in the country. The importance of the bamboo sector in Kenya needs to be more clearly understood from the above perspectives.

This study was designed to determine the type and extent of uses of the bamboo resources, and processing, pricing and marketing of the products. The findings of this study will be used to promote the development of on-farm bamboo plantations, natural forest management programmes and bamboo cottage industries in the country. Mechanisms for stimulating and enhancing the involvement of the small-scale manufacturers in urban and peri-urban centres were sought. These included integrating production, utilisation, processing and marketing, and improved efficiency through the use of new technologies.

1.1 The production to consumption system (PCS).

Bamboos are one of the most important Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). They are renewable, yield annually and are readily accessible to rural peoples. As a resource they have enormous potential to fuel rural development and this has long been recognized in many parts of the world. However any bamboo development program exists within the context of the society in which it is implemented and is subject to pressures and limitations (constraints) from many factors within that society not apparently directly related to growing, processing and selling bamboo. In order to develop a successful development program an understanding of all these factors (their effects, their magnitude and their potential (beneficial or detrimental)) is required. This necessitates investigations far more detailed than can be conducted at country or regional level.

Carefully focussed case studies do allow such detailed analyses to be made and can be very useful if they are chosen to be truly representative. Such case studies are often based in specific geographical locations, primarily due to the nature of the bamboo resource. However because of the huge variety of raw material-management systems and processing techniques to which bamboos are subjected, and end products into which they are made, it is necessary to use a reliable and standardized tool for analyzing all the processes involved, and all the factors impacting upon them. Thus the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan adopted the concept of the Production-to-Consumption System (PCS) (Belcher, 1995). This involves the entire chain of activities to which the bamboo is subjected, from the production of raw material (including the input market, where one exists) through the various stages of intermediate sales and processing, to the consumer of the final product. The system includes the technologies used to process the material as well as the social, political and economic environments in which these processes operate. These are all covered in the case study.

Subsequently analysis of the PCS enables identification of all the constraints limiting bamboo management and use, and highlights opportunities that, if taken, would promote bamboo-based development. Development programs can then be planned which utilize and develop the opportunities whilst circumventing, or even eliminating, the constraints. In ideal environments these programs may be limited to the bamboo PCS itself. In less favorable environments they may include policy shifts, infrastructural changes and even legal changes (for example relating to land tenure). In all cases, the emphasis is on community-led development (by the community, for the community) with the maximum possible benefit remaining within the community. The production to consumption system analytical framework utilized for this study is based on that explained in INBAR working paper Number 4 (Belcher, 1995).

1.2 MAIN OBJECTIVES

The study analysed the production-to-consumption system (PCS) of the bamboo sector in Kenya and identified potential development interventions for the improvement of the livelihoods of the local people.

1.3 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of the study were:

iv. To identify policy, legal issues, management constraints and opportunities; and

2. METHODOLOGY OF THE PCS FIELD STUDY

The study was carried out in areas where bamboo production, processing and utilisation are common. These are Mt. Kenya, and the surrounding towns of Nyeri and Nanyuki; and the Aberdare mountain ranges including Nairobi and Naivasha towns. Other study centres included the Mau mountain ranges, the towns of Siaya, Kisumu and parts of Homa Bay district, the Cheranganyi hills, Mt. Elgon, Nakuru, Kitale, Malindi and Mombasa (see Fig.1). Individuals and groups selected from institutions and local communities involved in the production-to-consumption channels were interviewed. Farmers who produce bamboo both as a resource and products were also interviewed.

The average forest cover per district in the study areas was about 9.6 %, which is above the national average of 2.4 % (Fig. 2).

Source: Susan Minae (1989).

The average per cent bamboo cover within the forest was about 11.0 % with a range of 0 to 30 % (Fig. 2) which compares well with previous studies which estimated the cover at 10 % (Kigomo, 1995). The apparent increase in the proportion of bamboo within the forest could be as a result of a decrease in the area of forest cover due to excisions and not actual increase in acreage. The highest bamboo cover was in higher altitudes close to the main mountains in the country (Table 2).

Fig. 2: Mean relative area of bamboo (Source: MENR, 1994).

The population density within the study areas varied significantly, ranging from 36 to 790 person per Km² with an average of 220 persons per Km² (Table 3).

The primary data were collected from field surveys and informal interviews with a selected sample of raw bamboo producers, collectors, processors and consumers. A structured questionnaire was designed for the study (Appendix 1a-f). A team of scientists assisted by locally trained interviewers who doubled as interpreters administered the questionnaire. Interviews involved several visits to host villages and collection centres and major processing, manufacturing and market centres in Kenya. Secondary data were gathered from literature on previous work on bamboo.

To understand the production to consumption process, an assessment of resource availability in the country, raw bamboo collection/harvesting, characteristics of the collectors, types of processing technologies used, collection/financing arrangements; stock management systems and resource input requirements were carried out. Local institutions, customs, traditions and informal rules of stock management, government policies (quotas, licenses, extraction fees, royalty, taxes and tenure laws); local prices, different qualities of raw bamboo; and monthly earnings of collectors/harvesters were also considered.

Data on inputs (labour, raw resource, capital, and prices), raw bamboo processing, socio-demographic characteristics of proprietors, employees and apprentices were collected. Information was also collected on the technologies used, financing arrangements, transportation from harvest site and storage. Interactions among collectors, transporters and end-users of raw bamboo were considered. Prices for intermediate goods, purchase terms, spot purchases, contracts, stage-wise value-addition and monthly income of handicraft operators were considered.

Analysis of the product range, pricing and mode of payments were undertaken. Other parameters considered were volume of sales income and profits of handicraft operators, projected sales and future outlook, and trade restrictions, royalties, taxes, and other fiscal and regulatory measures.

Major towns/processing & consumption centres

A quota sampling technique was used to select the bamboo collectors and processors in all the study sites. Harvesting, collection, and processing individuals in rural and urban towns were selected based on relative distribution patterns of target stakeholders in the various parts of country. Since the precise distribution of all bamboo collectors and processors was unknown beforehand, the actual survey was done following the initial interviews with key informants in urban areas and forest stations. A total of 339 respondents were interviewed with some respondents being interviewed in more than one category. The distribution of the interviewees was as follows (Appendix 2):

• Bamboo producers (34 villages):- A total of 65 individuals interviewed;
• Collectors/harvesters (13 villages/farms):- A total of 25 individuals interviewed;
• Primary processors (22 villages/rural towns): - A total of 59 respondents interviewed;
• Retailers and consumers (market centres in urban towns/cities):- A total of 133 individuals interviewed;
• Policy making institutions (urban towns/cities)-Discussions conducted with relevant government officials and stakeholders. A total of 57 respondents were interviewed (Appendices 1a and 2).

Data analyses were done using Lotus and Excel computer packages. Descriptive statistics were mainly used in the analysis. Frequency tabulation was used to present the collected information on the various aspects of the PCS. The three principles that guided the tabulations were:

• Natural exclusivity of qualities or values;
• Internal logic and order of tabulations;
• Careful selection of the class intervals for quantitative variables.

Where appropriate, the distributions were summarised, using measures such as mean, mode and median. Percentages were used to compare frequencies and to express qualitative variables in a numerical format.

The survey established that bamboo growing was mainly confined to areas unsuitable for agriculture waterways and gorges. Outside the forest areas, it was found that about 3.4 % of households had bamboo on their farms, occupying about 1.6 % of the total land holding in the study areas. Most respondents were aware of the potential benefits of bamboo but are reluctant to increase the acreage of bamboo on their farms because of uncertainty in marketing and management because of the present ban and competition from other land-uses.

In all the study areas, it was established that A. alpina in natural stands had an average stem length of 10.2 m and a diameter of 7.5 cm. Bamboos from farmlands were on average found to be smaller, with an average length of 9.6 m and diameter of 6.2 cm. Tables 4a and 4b give a summary of officially recorded quantities extracted in different study areas over the last three years. In some areas, larger sizes of bamboo were found in the more inaccessible, higher altitude, regions. Stocking levels were found to be higher in natural forests than on the farmlands. The average number of culms per hectare in forest areas was 10 480. According to Kigomo (1988) and Kant et al. (1992) there are about 10 000 to 17 000 stems per hectare in undisturbed stands of Arundinaria alpina.

The study established that the main sources of bamboo are government forests on which about 99.4 % of the total are produced. The remaining 0.6 % is produced on farmlands. Most of the bamboo produced on farms is used locally for fencing and construction, as well as for shade and ornament. Some farmers have retained some natural stands of bamboo on their farms where excision of forestland and subsequent settlement have taken place. This was observed in Geta-Aberdares, Olenguruone-Mau forest area, Kapsokwony-Mt. Elgon and Lelan-Cherangani Hills. Bamboo on state forests are protected and conserved, although controlled harvesting is allowed in some areas. The estimated amount of bamboo collected from state forests within the study areas varied considerably due to variation in demand (Table 4a). Because of the ban on bamboo harvesting in 1982, the figures given in the tables show extraction under special license arrangement. These figures do not necessarily reflect the national total and are found in records only.

Quantities of bamboo culms collected from natural forests are believed to be higher than those reported here because of illegal harvesting. In all the natural forests visited, there existed no formal management system for bamboo. This is because of the current ban on the exploitation and the classification of bamboo as minor forest produce.

Production of bamboo from the farms varied and depended mainly on demand from other users or immediate households. No consistent pattern of production was evident. The average land size per household in the study areas was about 3.26 hectares (Table 5). Out of these, bamboo occupied about 3.28 %.

Source: Estimates from the study

There were farmers in Gede-Coast and Vihiga-Western regions who had established a few clumps of exotic bamboo on their farms that are occasionally harvested for use in fencing and minor construction work. Bambusa vulgaris was more popular in the province of Coast due to its large size and strength. Lack of developed marketing systems for bamboo products and land size were cited by the farmers as the main constrains in development of on-farm planting bamboo planting.

Kaimosi Tea Estate in the Western region has shown interest in growing bamboo for making tea picking baskets, furniture and for water-catchment protection. They have planted about one thousand seedlings, although the survival is low. In Madunguni area at the coast, one farmer has established about two acres of bamboo mainly for fencing and for interior decoration. In Malindi, also at the coast, one farmer has established about half a hectare of bamboo.

Source: Modified from the Philippines PCS case study.

Most of the processing and manufacturing activities involving bamboo are very basic and use simple technologies. The different stages of the bamboo PCS are carried out independently in most cases, except at KAPI Ltd, which carries its own harvesting and processing of final products.. KAPI Ltd is an enterprise established in 1964 in Nakuru town that uses bamboo for the production of incense sticks. This company uses between 7 000 to 8 000 bamboo canes annually for incense stick production and more recently "fancy" items production for export markets. The company has acquired slitting machines for cutting bamboo into small pieces but finishing is still carried out manually using knives.

Apart from toothpicks, basketry, incense sticks, and fancy items which undergo basic processing and finishing, other bamboo products such as flower props and fencing materials are processed by splitting and cutting to size using machetes and knives. Faster and more efficient processing technologies are therefore lacking and need to be developed to enable diversification and value addition of the products.

In the production of toothpicks and incense sticks women were mainly involved in secondary processing whereas men are involved in primary processing, harvesting and transportation for example. The male to female proportion of involvement in these bamboo activities was 72 : 28. In most of the areas visited the local people use alternative materials such as cypress off-cuts and withies for fencing. Napier grass and papyrus reeds provided alternative raw materials for the making of baskets and mats.

Bamboos are used on a small scale as plant supports in the horticulture industry, especially the flower industry around Lake Naivasha, as a raw material in the handicraft industry, and in the construction industry for fencing and interior decorations. They are also used as partitioning materials. Fencing uses about 74 % of all the bamboo harvested in the study areas, the flower industry 20 %, the construction industry 4 % and the rest of the sectors use about two percent. Table 6 shows the preference ranking of the different bamboo products.

In some areas such as Mt. Elgon, the local people use young bamboo shoots as vegetables and the processing is simple; by smoking and drying. The processing of these shoots has not attained the level of sophistication observed in imported canned shoots available in food stores in Nairobi and Mombasa. Toothpick production from bamboo is a well-established cottage industry in Nairobi and the surrounding area. The toothpicks normally find their way into other townships through middlemen. Most of the processing activities are done manually. Toothpick production uses small quantities of bamboo compared to other forms of use. The various uses of bamboo are shown in figure 4.

Source: Estimates from the study.

Baskets are used by the local communities for picking tea and for transporting it to factories. The baskets measure 2.5 feet in height with a basal diameter of 2 feet. Baskets are also used on a small scale in homes for storage. Basket production on a large scale was observed in Oleng’uruone and Kiambu districts and to a lesser extent in Nyeri District. Most of the individual basket makers did the weaving on their own. There were four basket producers in Oleng’uruone and seven in Kiambu. Three individuals were interviewed in Kiambu and one individual in Oleng’uruone area. Bamboo culms were purchased from the neighbours while individuals living close to natural forests could obtain the culms free by stealing. To make basket 3 culms, metal sheet for support are required. The basket maker also incurs costs of transport to the market. Each bamboo culm cost Ksh. 10 from the neighbours/farmers and Ksh.17 from the forest department. Forest department records indicate that an estimated total of 7 630 and 4 200 culms are used annually for basket production in Kiambu and Oleng’uruone districts respectively. Table 8 gives the financial analysis of a typical basket producer.

Source: Estimates from the study

Basket makers do not cost most of the inputs in the enterprise. As a result of this, their production costs were estimated at 51 % of the total income from basketry. Labour has been estimated for 260 days at a rate of Ksh. 90 per day. Due to the difficulties involved in the acquisition of raw materials, especially bamboo culms, only a few people are employed in this sector. Most enterprises were comprised of family members, and each basket maker had, on average, a family of ten. Men dominate basket making, except for the occasional involvement of women in marketing. The main tools needed are knives of various sizes and a sharpener. Production is estimated at 750 baskets per year per producer made from 1,100 culms. Each basket retails at Ksh. 120 in Oleng’uruone and Ksh. 100 in Kiambu. The baskets are mainly sold at the point of production.

Toothpick production is mainly carried out around Nairobi and other major towns such as Eldoret, Kitale and Kapenguria. Most of the individuals involved in toothpick production do it on a part-time basis.

The process of toothpick production is manual. Production starts with crosscutting the culms and removal of nodes. Thereafter, the pieces are debarked, split, cut to size, sharpened and packed in bundles of either 100 or 200 using rubber bands, after which they are dispatched for sale. Packaging is carried out using manila and nylon papers.

The other products made besides toothpicks include skewers, chopsticks, ice cream pallets and bamboo spatula. These are made in relatively small quantities compared to toothpicks and are made to order. One toothpick enterprise reported production of 9 000 packets of 100 pieces of toothpicks, 4 400 packets of 50 pieces of skewers, 350 packets of 50 pieces of chopsticks and 350 packets of 50 pieces of ice cream pallets annually.

An average, toothpick production enterprises engage two full-time employees and five part-time employees. Full time employees earn about Ksh. 2 700 per month while part time employees earn Ksh. 1 800 per month. For some proprietors, part time employees are paid on a piecework basis i.e. Ksh. 3.00 for 100 toothpicks and Ksh. 7.00 for 100 skewers. Each toothpick producer uses about 1 800 bamboo culms per year. An estimated 27 000 bamboo culms per year are used countrywide in production of toothpicks and allied products. In Nairobi bamboo culms are purchased in various Hardware Stores. Prices per culm range from Ksh. 45 to Ksh. 60.

The toothpick producers preferred bamboo to other materials because of strength, durability and availability at affordable prices. The peak period for toothpick production is July - November (tourist season) while January - March is the off peak period. The profit margin for tooth pick producers is about 30 %. Most of the toothpick producers are un-registered as most of them operate in their backyards.

The main problems in toothpick production are mainly associated with the crude technology used for production. Manual operations are tedious, slow and often result in a lot of variation in quality of the products. This is a possible area for intervention to improve production capacity through acquisition of appropriate technology and improved quality of the products. Acquisition of culms through middlemen was found to increase the costs of production significantly (about 8 %), thus reducing the profit margins for the toothpick producers. It is necessary for the producers to acquire the culms directly from the forests or planters. More information on costs and benefits are presented in Table 9.

Table 9: Inputs and outputs analyses for toothpicks production

Most of the horticulture companies are located in and around Naivasha town where 15 companies use bamboo to support a variety of flowers and vegetables in their greenhouses. Annual consumption is estimated at 663 750 culms, which is about 20 % of all the bamboo used in all the study areas. Use of bamboo in the horticulture industry has been declining in the last two or three years as the companies have switched to alternatives such as withies and plastics. The change to alternative materials is partly explained by the current ban on the use of bamboo and subsequent problems associated with the acquisition of special licenses. At the same time there has been a lot of pressure from conservationists that the companies use alternative materials.

Each company uses an average of 44 250 culms per year. The demand for use of bamboo in horticulture is expected to increase as the industry develops in other towns such as Eldoret, Kitale, Kericho, Nanyuki, Nairobi and Kiambu are expected to increase the demand for bamboo. Most of them have not started using bamboo at the moment.

Most of the bamboo collectors are landless and most have an average family of three. The collection process involves cutting, de-limbing and assembling at the point of collection. Twenty five per cent of the collectors reported earning less than Ksh. 1 000 per year, 25 % earned between Ksh. 1 000 and 3 000 while 50 % earned Ksh. 3 001 to 5 000. There were 30 collectors in the Aberdares forest alone of whom one half are involved in bamboo collection on a part time basis.

Culms are harvested and transported to the assembly point at a cost of Ksh. 5 per culm. In all cases, lorries are used for delivery to the companies in Naivasha. A lorry carries an average of 1 000 culms per trip and costs Ksh. 28 700 inclusive of royalty, transport charges, loading and off-loading costs and other fees. A financial capital of about Ksh. 19 million per year is required to meet the demand of all the flower companies. Most of these costs (about 90 %) are spent on purchase and transportation of culms. Bamboo culms are delivered to the company yard where tallying and processing are carried out. Each individual processes an average of 100 culms per day (crosscutting, splitting and finally tying in bundles as required) and earns Ksh. 1 800 per month. Table 10 shows costs and benefit of a typical supplier of culms to the horticulture industry.

Production and consumption of bamboo shoots is mainly found in the Mt. Elgon area of Western Kenya. Bamboo shoots are sold in the surrounding towns such as Kitale and Kimilili as well as other market centres such as Chwele, Lwakhakha and Cheptais. Collection of bamboo shoots is carried out in May and June. On collection the shoots are sun-dried or smoked after which they are stored. Smoked and sun-dried shoots have a storage life of two years. There is normally stiff competition for bamboo shoots in the forest between humans and wild animals. On the average, 1,200 shoots are consumed annually in each of the market centres and towns. Selling price is on average Ksh. 12 per three shoots.

Fencing and construction use the largest number of bamboo culms annually compared to other uses. Fencing is predominantly used on farms for cattle paddocks and delineating farm boundaries and homesteads (Appendix 3). Bamboo for construction is mainly for interior design, building huts and granaries. In addition, institutions such as Kenya Army Barracks and Agricultural Society of Kenya use about 15 lorries annually. Bamboo fences are replaced once every three years. About 20 % of the forests adjacent households in Cherangani-Mt. Elgon and Timboroa-Nabkoi areas use bamboo in fencing and construction. On average 250 bamboo culms could fence an acre of land at a cost of Ksh. 2500. (at Ksh 17 per culm. In the Mt. Elgon, Kitale, Nabkoi and Timboroa areas, about 79 400 culms, 47 640 culms and 45 000 culms are used for the construction of huts, granaries and interior decoration respectively.

Most bamboo processors are not integrated in their operations with the exception of KAPI Ltd, which specialises in the production of incense sticks. This company is currently diversifying its products to include "fancy" items for export markets. The rest of the other groups/individual specialise in the production of only one item. This can be dangerous if there is competition. Apart from the farmers who could produce baskets using bamboo from their own farms the rest of the other companies do not own their own bamboo plantations. Kaimosi Tea factory has is in the process of raising bamboo plantations for producing bamboo for tea picking baskets and furniture.

The bamboo products sold in the market include bamboo culms, bamboo shoots, toothpicks, meat skewers, baskets and incense sticks. In most of the study areas market forces determined the prices of raw bamboo. The Coastal region reported the highest prices of Ksh. 350 per culm. In Mt. Elgon area the price was Ksh. 5 for 3 pieces of bamboo shoots. Table 11 gives the summary of price variation among the identified bamboo products. The price was high along the coastal region because of the Hotel industry. The royalty by the Forest Department for a culm of bamboo was Ksh. 17 in all the forest stations countrywide at the time of the survey.

Most respondents reported that about 75 % of the stems on every clump could be marketed. The rest were used for firewood because of poor quality. The number of clumps on the farms was varied but there is potential for growth if markets could be developed

The major buyers of bamboo products are individuals small-scale users and hotels for interior design, flower industry for props, incense sticks industry and some are used as fishing rods, navigation tools, fish traps and racks.

Utilisation of bamboo and bamboo products in Kenya has in the past seventeen years been mainly constrained by policy considerations. The survey carried out showed that most respondents were aware of the selective ban on exploitation of bamboo. The current ban on exploitation of bamboo seems to have outlived its usefulness. The resource only needed time to regenerate after which controlled exploitation could continue on a sustainable basis. Implementation of the government ban has resulted in conditions, which has encourage graft and corruption, making the bamboo resource available only to influential people and disadvantaging resource poor entrepreneurs.

Although government policies (ban on extraction and classification as a minor product) have hampered development of the bamboo sector, demand for bamboo products has ensured continuation of some activity within the sector. While influential users have continued using bamboo, no interests or efforts has been directed towards management of the resource despite existence of guidelines developed by KEFRI. Few people know of the existence of these guidelines. Since this ban is still in force, it will be important for alternative ways of producing bamboo to be developed. This could be done on the farms while waiting for a review of the ban. Establishment of on-farm bamboo plantation will be possible because some farmers in Nyandarua, West Pokot, Kiambu and Gede are already planting the resources on their farms.

Bamboo has immense potential and if harnessed can improve the livelihood of the rural poor and thereby enhance the contribution of the sector to the economy. The bamboo resources in both state forests and on individual farms are currently not managed properly. If the technical guidelines on the bamboo management developed by KEFRI are implemented, policy reviewed and awareness created, bamboo has a potential to contribute substantially to the welfare of Kenyans.

Insecurity and poor accessibility in some bamboo growing areas, encroachment of forestland by the forest adjacent communities are other factors that required proper policy and legislation. Re-classification of bamboo as a major forest product as opposed to the present classification as a minor forest product requires forest policy review.

The rules and regulations affecting bamboo harvesting are indicated in Box 1.

• There is no subletting or sub-contracting once a license has be granted;
• Road side bamboo and bamboo on protection sites should not be cut;
• Only mature bamboo should be cut on selective basis;
• Payments should be made before removal;
• Cutting and removal should be carried out during government working days/hours;
• Registration numbers of vehicles to be used in transporting bamboo should be provided to the Forester in advance;
• Authorising letter for the removal of bamboo is subject to scrutiny by the police and any other authorised officers;
• Movements permits should be issued by the District Forest Officer (DFO) or Forester and his deputy only;
• Bamboo should be removed only for the purpose stated in the authority letter;
• The authority is valid for six month only from the date of issue. The permit or authority becomes invalid after six months.

Source: MENR (1994).

The bamboo sector in Kenya is much more advanced than in the neighbouring countries Tanzania and Uganda. There are large natural stands of bamboo and there is a strong demand for fencing on cattle ranches and for poles in the flowering industry. Other users are craftsmen manufacturing basketry, and the tooth pick industry. Compared to most Asian countries Kenya’s bamboo sector is still very young. A number of constraints are hampering a steady development of the sector:

• A current ban on the exploitation of bamboo resource
• classification of bamboo as a minor forest product
• lack of organisation among the various user groups
• lack of recognition of the sector in the national economy
• lack of awareness on the potentials of bamboo
• production of semi-processed or unprocessed products
• poorly developed marketing structures
• lack of information on availability of planting materials
• lack of information on propagation, establishment, crop management and harvesting methods
• poor infrastructure in bamboo growing areas
• lack of appropriate technologies in processing.

The Forestry Department has issued a ban on the exploitation of bamboo since 1982, allowing only bamboo harvesting from state forests with a special license. However, there are no indications of an overall depletion of bamboo resources that could justify a total ban on bamboo. Moreover, most of the actual bamboo cutting is illegal. A rough calculation of the figures of the actually-used bamboo and the officially-harvested bamboo shows a difference of 88%, which means that a large part of the bamboo used in Kenya is illegally harvested. Therefore, a gradual easing of the ban could have a positive effect on the development of the bamboo sector. It should be replaced by a general management plan for bamboo resources in the country that takes into account the growth rate of bamboo and the fact that regular cutting stimulates the growth and increases productivity. Simultaneously, a program that stimulates on-farm bamboo planting should be put in place in order to increase the supply of bamboo from private land and gradually evolve towards bamboo plantations on a community level.

The majority of the bamboo is used for fencing and the poles are used without proper treatment and, consequently, fences need to be replaced after an average lifetime of only three years. Thus, a basic treatment of the bamboo culms could improve durability and the added-value could improve the relatively low incomes of the collectors (they earn an average of 12 US$ from bamboo annually). At the same time, the higher costs of treated bamboo for buyers would be compensated by the extended durability of the bamboo poles and fences.

KEFRI has developed management guidelines both for natural stands of bamboo and on-farm bamboo planting but these have not been applied. This may be due to lack of quantitative information on costs and benefits in bamboo production. Lack of established commercial value attached to bamboo in some areas is also a major reason for the non-utilisation of the management guidelines developed by KEFRI. Field observations indicated that no management regimes (propagation, establishment, management and proper harvesting techniques) are applied in bamboo production. The application of the guidelines will enhance sustainable utilisation of the resource and may help ease the ban on bamboo harvesting.

Most of the products are made manually e.g. toothpicks. It is important to introduce technologies aimed at improving the production capacity. One area where this could be done is in the toothpicks industry where processes like splitting cross cutting and finishing could be done by machine to improve production and add value to the products.

The user groups need to be organised and educated on the importance of bamboo processing and marketing. The manufacturers/users could be organised into groups based on their localities for better marketing of their products. For example, raw bamboo is directly delivered to the flower companies rather than processed products. Basket producers make and market their products individually. Some of the manufacturers get free bamboo from the wild while others buy their raw materials from neighbours to make baskets. The basket makers, who steal raw materials, sell their end products cheaply and thus under cut, the genuine basket makers who buy their raw materials.

Bamboo shoots are collected in Western Kenya around Mt Elgon and used as a vegetable.

The shoots are sun-dried and smoked, but the finished product does not have the same quality as the canned shoots sold in Nairobi and Mombasa. Therefore, improving the processing of the shoots could upgrade quality and enable this national product to compete with the imported shoots. The existence of a market for shoots opens opportunities for Kenyan shoots to become a new sector that generates income for the people (mainly women) involved in their harvesting, smoking and trading.

The recommended interventions include technical training to all stakeholders to sensitise them over the potentials of bamboo, introduce of incentives (loans, subsidies, etc), lift the ban on bamboo from state forests and instead carry out extraction on a sustainable basis, and establishment of demonstration or model bamboo growing households and enterprises to improve on supply, improve markets and provide market information and improve roads in bamboo growing areas, sensitise the communities on the benefits of integrated production systems to maximise markets.

These interventions should initially target farmers who already have some experience and exposure in bamboo production. In so doing it is also important to take cognisance of the fact that bamboo production forms only part of the income generating activities by the farmers. Appendix 4 gives the logical framework for Kenya.

• Awareness creation and training of stakeholders on the potentials of bamboo, need to encourage on-farm bamboo plantations, improve on roads, make budgetary allocations to manage bamboo resource. An investment appraisal of on-farm bamboo establishment indicates that the investment has an internal rate of return (IRR) of 25 % and a cost benefit ratio (CBR) of 2.47 under local conditions. This support the view that on-farm bamboo growing can be viable intervention (See appendix 5);

• Policy and legislative reforms to lift the ban, improve management regimes, classify bamboo as a major product need to be put in place;

• Dissemination of KEFRI guidelines to improve on propagation, establishment, management, and harvesting techniques. This will involve both the farmers and government staff charged with the responsibility of managing natural bamboo stands;

• Establishment of on-farm bamboo plantation for supply of bamboo shoots, fencing and construction materials to alleviate the current short supply from natural forests. This will involve facilitating the farmers to achieve this goal;

• Technology improvement in the handicraft (artisan) industry: fancy items, toothpicks, and baskets. This involves importing machines or working closely with informal sector to produce the necessary machines. Investment appraisals of toothpicks and basketry model enterprises indicate that the investments have respectively IRR of 46 %, 100% and CBR of 2.55, 2.09 under local conditions. This supports the view that the two enterprises are viable interventions likely to have a positive impact on improving the livelihoods of the local entrepreneurs (See appendix 5 and 6).

• Organising the bamboo collectors and other bamboo users especially those supplying the Flower (Horticulture) industry with a view to improving income realised from bamboo sales and harvesting - Naivasha Case study.

Estimates for the total bamboo area in Kenya are a total of 150,000 ha of Arundinaria alpina concentrated in the highlands of which 70, 000 ha are pure stands. The consumption of bamboo requires the cutting of only a few thousand hectares per annum and can not cause a threat for depletion considering the rapid growth rate of bamboo. Most of the bamboo stands are in state forests with adjacent communities depending directly or indirectly on this resource for their livelihoods i.e. subsistence and income. Most of the bamboo collected from both state forests and farms is used for fencing ( 74%) and in the flower industry for flower poles (20%). Naivasha town is the center of horticulture companies and consumes 20% of all the bamboo in Kenya. The remaining commercial utilisation of bamboo is concentrated in the production of toothpicks and incense sticks.

A major constraint for the development of the bamboo sector is the short supply of bamboo from state forests as a result of the government ban on the utilisation of the resource. Other problems are the poor infrastructure, poor processing techniques, poorly developed marketing structures and lack of alternative sources.

The following interventions have thus been recommended in the short run: establishment of on-farm bamboo plantations, provision of new technologies for toothpick producers and provision of financial support to the basket producers through credit facilities. It is expected that these interventions will bring about efficient utilisation of the bamboo resource, financial empowerment to the local communities, improved supply of raw material and introduction of improved technology.

Date of Interview:................................................................................................................

Interviewed by:.........................................................................................................

Checked by:...............................................................................................................

1. Name:..........................................................................................................................

2. Address:........................................................................................................................

3. Educational Attainment [<Std VII] [Std VII] [Form IV] [>Form IV]

4. Gender [M] [F]

5. Household size: ..........................................................................................................

6. Number and gender of household members involved in bamboo collection

Task>
Male
Female
Children > 10 yrs
Children < 10 yrs

7. Type of activities engaged in by each (See table above)

8. Annual income from bamboo collection [< 1000] [1000 - 1999] [2000 - 2999] [3000 -4999] [>5000]

9. Other sources of income (specify) [SALARY] [FARMING] [DAIRY] [BUSINESS]

10. Total area of land owned [< 5 ACRES] [5 - 10 ACRES] [10 - 15 ACRES] [> 15 ACRES]

11. Do you have bamboo in your farm? [Y] [N]. If yes, Proportion of land covered by bamboo:

12. Is there any cultivation/management of the wild resource?

If so, describe:

13. Who owns the land from where bamboo is harvested [STATE] [COMMUNITY] [PRIVATE]

14. Do you pay royalty, commission, or tax on the area harvested? [Y] ...... [N]

How much was paid per year, and to whom? [Kshs. ..............] [To. ......................]

What is your opinion of the level of payment?: .......................................................

15. Number and duration of collection trips in a month: ....................................................

16. Mode of transportation: .............................................................................................

17. Cost and source of finance for wild bamboo collection: Cost.............Source................

18. How far from the point of assembly is the bamboo found?: .....................................km

19. Average number of persons in the collection team:.......................................................

20. Describe the bamboo collection process: .....................................................................

21. What tools and inputs are required for bamboo collection?

Item/Input	QTY	Unit cost	Total amount	Remarks
Panga
Saws
File (Sharpener)
Others (specify)

22. Season/months when bamboo collection is carried out: ................................................

23. Quantity of raw bamboo collected per trip (No. of culms).............................................

24. Cost of cutting and de-limbing per culm:......................................................................

25. Cost of transport to the assembly point per culm; Ksh.................................................

26. What are the species/varieties of bamboo collected?: ....................................................

27. State the average length [......].diameter[.....] and wall thickness [....] of bamboo culms collected.

28. How much of the bamboo must be rejected at the point of assembly?(No. of culms):......

For what reasons? [IMMATURE] [DAMAGE] [SIZE]

29. Is any of the raw bamboo collected used for your household?: [Y] [N]

How much? (No. of culms):...............................................................................

How is it used?...................................................................................................

30. What are main factors affecting the volume of bamboo harvested?:...............................

31. Distance from site to point of delivery........................km........................................m

32. Transportation cost to/from site: To site..............From site.................Total..................

33. Food costs:.................................................................................................................

34. Tools/other inputs: (Table below)

Item/Input	QTY	Unit cost	Total amount	Remarks
Panga
Saws
File (Sharpener)
Others (specify)

35. Payment to hired help/field guides: Kshs......................................................................

36. Fees, access taxes, royalties, commissions, etc. per collection trip: Ksh.......................

37. Miscellaneous expenses Ksh.......................................................................................

38. How much does each raw bamboo culm sell for? Ksh................................................

Who are the buyers?...............................................................................................

Where? (be sure to specify all locations, with geographic directions if necessary)

.................................................................................................................................

39. How much income do you make per trip from sales of raw bamboo? Ksh....................

40. What is your opinion of the income you realise through bamboo collection?:.................

41. Do you carry out any processing activities on the raw bamboo? [Y] [N]

If yes, specify type and describe process..................................................................

42. What are the inputs and tools required for this processing?............................................

43. What are the costs incurred for this processing ? (per culm). Ksh...............................

44. How much does the processed bamboo sell for? (per culm) ................................

To whom?.............................................................................................................

45. How much income do you make per trip from sales of processed bamboo?: Ksh........

46. What are the end products made from the bamboo that you harvest?.............................

47. Where are they sold? (specify all locations, with geographic directions if necessary).....

48. Who are the buyers?:..............................................................................................

Date of Interview:............................................................................................................

Interviewed by:..................................................................................................................

Checked by:......................................................................................................................

(I). GENERAL:

1. Name:......................................................................................................................

2. Address:.......................................................................................................................

3. Educational Attainment [<Std VII] [Std VII] [Form IV] [>Form IV]

4. Gender:

5. Household size:

6. Number and gender of household members involved in bamboo plantation activities

Task>
Male
Female
Children > 10 yrs
Children < 10 yrs

7. Type of activities engaged in by each: (Table above)

8. Annual income from bamboo plantation activities: Ksh................................................

9. Other sources of income (specify below):

Source	Income (Ksh.)
1.
2.
3.
TOTAL

10. Total area of arable land in your farm:..........................................................................

11. Percentage of arable land covered by bamboo plantation:..............................................

12. Proportion of bamboo plantation that is harvested each year:........................................

13. Area of bamboo plantation that is established each year:...............................................

14. Time required for bamboo to reach harvestable maturity:..............................................

15. Describe how the bamboo is cultivated/managed in the plantation:..............................

16. What are the tenurial arrangements on the harvested bamboo land ?

17. How long is the period of contract?:............................................................................

18. Do you yourself own any of the bamboo under plantation? [Y] [N]

If yes, state area owned:.........................................................................................

If no, do you pay any royalty, commission, or tax on the area harvested? [Y] [N]

How much is paid per year, and to whom?...................................................

What is your opinion of the level of payment?.............................................

NURSERY PHASE

Activity	No. units	Price/unit	Total cost	Comment
Seed procurement
Seed treatment
Potting soil
Maintenance: Watering Fertiliser Pesticide Weeding
Infrastructure
Tools/equipment
Other (specify)
Sub-total

PLANTATION PHASE

Activity	No. units	Price/unit	Total cost	Comment
Surveying/ blocking
Land preparation strip clearing ring weeding holing
Planting/sampling Inventory/ replanting
Maintenance: Watering Weeding Fertiliser Pesticide
Infrastructure
Tools/Equipment
Other (specify)
Sub-total

HARVESTING PHASE

Activity	No. units	Price/unit	Total cost	Comment
Labour
Tools/equipment
Other
Sub-total

20. Revenues from bamboo plantation

Product	No. units produced	Sale price /unit	Total revenue	Comment
Raw bamboo culms
Other (specify)
Sub-total

21. What is your opinion of the income you realise through bamboo plantation?:.................

.........................................................................................................................................

22. What is the annual (allowable) cut?:.............................................................................

How well is this enforced?:.....................................................................................

23. Distance from cutting area to settlement area:...............................................................

Distance from cutting area to point of assembly:...........................................................

24. Method of transportation of bamboo from cutting area to assembly point [MANUAL] [BICYCLE] [TRUCK] [OTHERS]

volume transported per trip (No of culms):..............................................................

amount spent per trip (Ksh.):..................................................................................

25. Who are the planters? [FOR FAMILY] [FOR ORGANISATIONS] (delete one)

Number of members:.........................................................................................

Number of non-members:.......................................................................................

Number of female planters. What kind of activities?................................................

Number of children involved. What kind of activities?.............................................

27. Season/month of the year when harvesting is at its lowest

[WET SEASON] [DRY SEASON] Months:......................................................................

28. Are quotas given to the planters? [YES] [NO]

If yes, how much (in Ksh. equivalent)?: Ksh...........................................................

29. What are the main factors affecting the volume of bamboo production? List...............

30. Describe how the bamboo is harvested:........................................................................

31. What tools are used?:

Tool	Purpose(s)

32. How much bamboo ends up being rejected? (No. of culms):.......................................

For what reasons? [IMMATURE] [DAMAGE] [SIZE]

33. How much of the bamboo ends up being used for your home? (No. of culms):.............

34. If possible, would you choose to invest in a bamboo plantation? [YES] [NO]

If yes, where would you get the necessary capital?:.................................................

[Bank loan]

[Rural co-operative society]

[Borrow locally]

[Own savings]

[other sources]

If no, why?............................................................................................................

35. What are some of the problems encountered in a bamboo plantation?:...........................

36. How are the prices for the raw bamboo determined?:...................................................

37. To whom and where do you sell the raw bamboo? (be sure to specify all locations, with geographic directions if necessary):.............................................................................

38. Do you have any marketing contracts with the buyers of your raw bamboo? [YES] [NO]

If so, what are the terms?:.....................................................................................

39. What are the end products made from the bamboo that you harvest?:.........................

40. Where are they sold? (be sure to specify all locations, with geographic directions if necessary)

Who are the buyers?:...........................................................................................

PROCESSING:

41. Do you carry out any processing activities on the raw bamboo? [YES] [NO]

If yes, specify type and describe process:..............................................................

42. What are the inputs and tools required for this processing?:.......................................

Tools/other inputs:

Item/Input	QTY	Unit cost	Total amount	Remarks
Panga
Saws
File (Sharpener)
Ropes

43. What are the costs incurred for this processing?: Ksh.................................................

44. How much does the processed bamboo sell for?: Ksh.................................................

To whom?:............................................................................................................

Where? (be sure to specify all locations, with geographic directions if necessary)

45. How much income do you make per culm?: Ksh.........................................................

What are the end products made from the bamboo that you harvest?:.................................

Who are the buyers and their locations? (be sure to specify all locations, with geographic directions if necessary):................................................................................................

Date of Interview:

Interviewed by:

Checked by:

GENERAL:

1. Name

2. Address

3. Educational Attainment: [<Std VII] [Std VII] [Form IV] [>Form IV]

4. Gender: [M] [F]

5. Household size:

6. Number and gender of household members involved in bamboo processing

	M	F	Children <10
Cutting
De-limbing
Carrying
Arranging

7. Type of activities engaged in by each:

8. Monthly/daily remuneration:

9. Primary source of income:

Estimated monthly income

10. Position in the company:

11. Nature of employment [APPRENTICE][CONTRACTUAL][CASUAL][PERMANENT]

12. When were you employed?:

13. Employment terms (specify below)

Weeks/month		No. months	Wage/month
	Full-time
	Part-time
	Sub-contract
	Piece-wise

14. Does your employer provide any other benefits?: [Y] [N]

If yes, state:

15. Hours worked per day:

16. Number of days/week that processing/manufacturing takes place:

17. When is processing/manufacturing at its peak?: Its low point?

18. What are the tools/equipment used?

Tool	Purpose(s)

19. Where did you train in the processing techniques?:

For how long?:

Were you an apprentice?:

Did your master contractually employ you afterwards?:

20. How long does it take to become independently established?:

GENERAL:

1. Name

2. Address

3. Age

4. Gender [M] [F]

5. Estimated total annual income (from all sources):

6. Estimated annual income from bamboo processing:

7. Is the enterprise registered? [Y] [N]

If so, with whom?

8. Type of product made and volume of production (specify below):

Product	Low volume	Medium	High

9. Labour employed:

	Number of employees	Wage paid
Full-time
Part-time
Sub-contract
Piece-wise

10. Sources of inputs:

Name of supplier	Location of supplier	Volume of purchase	Unit price paid	Method of payment

11. Input cost structure (examine income statement of the enterprise if possible)

	Activity:	Activity:	Activity:	Activity:
Raw materials, with unit cost
Labour cost
Land/Workshop rent
Transportation cost
Equipment, list with unit cost
Interest on loans
Taxes, overheads
Other fees/levies paid

12. Where do you obtain your capital investments?

Name of source	Location of source	Amount of principal	Interest rate	Repayment period

13. Outputs from processing/manufacturing:

Product	Quantity	Price received	Sold to	Location of buyer

14. Have you encountered problems in processing/manufacture bamboo products?: [Y] [N]

If yes, specify:

15. Has the enterprise ever had a need for technical assistance?: [Y] [N]

If so, where do you go?:

How much do you pay?:

16. Pricing scheme:

Who sets the price?:

What is considered in price setting?

17. Are women involved in the enterprise?:

If so, in what capacity?:

How do they perform compared to their male counterparts?:

18. Do you involve children?: [Y] [N]. If so, in what capacity?

19. What are the problems encountered in the following activities:

Procurement:

Problems solutions

Processing:

Problems solutions

Marketing:

Problems solutions

Date of Interview:

Interviewed by:

Checked by:

GENERAL:

1. Name

2. Address

3. Educational Attainment [<Std VII] [Std VII] [Form IV] [>Form IV]

3. Gender [M] [F]

4. Number and gender of household members involved in bamboo retailing

	M	F	Children <10

5. Annual income from bamboo product sales:

6. Other sources of income (specify)

7. How long have you been selling bamboo products?

8. Which bamboo products do you sell?:

9. What other non-bamboo products (used as alternatives) do you sell?:

10. Supply/costs of bamboo products:

Product	Quantity purchased	Supplier	Location of supplier	Unit cost of product	Terms of purchase

Do you have any special arrangements with the suppliers of your bamboo products?

11. Sales/revenue of bamboo products:

Product	Quantity sold	Type of buyer (household, business, bulk, tourist)	Sales price of product	Revenue from product	Comment

12. What proportion of your total sales are from bamboo products?:

13. How do bamboo products compare to other products in profitability?:

14. What is the consumer's perception of the quality of bamboo products?:

15. What comments do you have on the quality of bamboo products?:

16. What trends have you observed in:

Demand for bamboo products:

Cost:

Type of bamboo products being made:

17. What other bamboo products do you think could be produced?:

18. What problems are there in selling bamboo products?:

19. Are you involved in any other stage in the production/processing/transportation of bamboo products?: [y] [n] If yes, what stage?.

1. What bamboo products have you purchased recently?:

2. What bamboo products do you have in your home?:

3. What do you use bamboo for?:

4. How do bamboo products compare to similar products not made from bamboo?:

In quality:

In price:

In length of useful life:

In attractiveness:

5. Do you feel that you get good value for the price that you pay for bamboo products?:
[Y] [N]:

If no, please explain.

6. What other products would you like to see made from bamboo?:

7. As a consumer, what improvements in bamboo products do you think would be beneficial?