China supports Uganda in manufacturing Bamboo products
For several years the Bagisu from Mbale and the slopes of Mountain Elgon have enjoyed Kamalea (bamboo shoots) as a nice delicacy sauce. However, new innovations (emerging from China) indicate that Kamalea is not just food but has a wide range of use. The UIRI Bamboo project officer, Julius Turyamwijukya said they have made 5 million toothpicks using local bamboo since they returned from China. “Another plant is in Kabale because it is near the bamboo forest in Kisoro. All we need now is an entrepreneur to inject in money for buying raw materials and use the plant at UIRI,” said Turyamwijukya. David Ebong the National Forest Authority (NFA) board chair, the government body set to spearhead the bamboo satellite villages said the Chinese have earmarked $10 million (shs245b) for putting up bamboo value addition plants across the country.“Apart from being eaten as food, bamboo is used in China for making furniture, utensils (chopsticks), paper, curtains, mats, shirts, musical instruments and décor,” he said.He said UIRI had so far made over 1000 meters of mat from bamboo. Read more