The overall goal of the bamboo strategy is to ensure coordinated development of the bamboo industry to propel green economic development and production of high-value products targeting domestic, regional and international markets.

The Ministry of Water and Environment estimates that planting and managing bamboo will contribute an estimated 15% towards Uganda’s goal of restoring 2.5 million ha of forest landscape by 2030, and that the strategy will help create 150,000 full-time jobs, producing 140 million bamboo poles each year. In long term, this could lead to the creation of 700,000 full time jobs, with 230,000 ha of bamboo planted on farms and 60,000 ha of regenerated natural bamboo forest.

Under strategic objective on the development of bamboo SME and industries, the planned actions include supporting the establishment of demonstration and promoting micro-enterprises and SMEs producing bamboo charcoal.

This report was commissioned, developed and written by the Ministry of Water and Environment of Uganda and produced by the International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR).