African Bamboo – Solidaridad East Africa

Investing in Impact

P4G awarded the partnership with US $585,317 in grant funding in 2022 and US $500,000 in 2024. 

African Bamboo pioneers a forest-to-market business that substitutes fossil-based materials such as steel and concrete with bamboo to enable large-scale production of organic, renewable and recyclable products. The partnership uses high-performance biomaterials and an intensified manufacturing process that halves processing time, cuts energy consumption by more than 52%, and reduces costs by more than 34%, while producing strong and durable construction materials. Bamboo, which is an abundant but underutilized resource in Ethiopia and Kenya, can be a game-changer in the carbon-intensive building sector. 

In addition to product sales, African Bamboo will also generate revenue by licensing its technology to manufacturers in other industries including automotive, food and beverage. Another revenue source will be carbon sales tree-planting, biochar application, and improved forest management. 

Solidaridad East Africa will support African Bamboo develop community-led forest resilience programs, validate its carbon credit reporting, and support its agroforestry trainings. It will also help the business advocate for improving enabling environments, bamboo standards and certifications. 

African Bamboo, through P4G support, has been able to turn the corner from a pre-revenue state to a revenue-generating company; secure 70% of its series A investment requirements; and make strides in catalyzing policy interventions. It has developed a robust bamboo forest management plan and value creation by developing technical capacity to manage bamboo and building transparent mechanisms that create higher value for bamboo such as readiness for Forest Stewardship Council certification. 

During the first round of P4G funding, the partnership intentionally conducted activities to empower youth and women smallholder farmers such as engaging with them on forest operations including nursery management, planting and plant aftercare, harvesting, transporting. This has enabled it to create and diversify rural jobs including 34 service oriented MSMEs and increase the incomes of 1128 (338 female and 790 male) farmer, youth and women jobs by 50%.  Furthermore, feasibility and modeling activities were conducted for a forest carbon project covering a forest landscape restoration of 12,000 hectares and soil amendment through biochar on 100 hectares. 

The partnership participated in local government and stakeholder engagement consultations to address regulation in terms of forest concessions, forest management guidelines, and associated policies with the Ethiopian Forest Development Authority among others. 

To scale its work, African Bamboo is on track to secure financing from the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DfCD) together with co-financing from and a 5-year offtake agreement for its entire capacity with SECA. 

During the second round of P4G funding, the partnership aims to complete its Series A funding round. It also aims to bring 100 hectares of land under sustainable management, improve the income of the smallholder farmers it works with by 50%, and increase bamboo yield by 50%. 

The partnership comprises the following lead partners: African Bamboo (lead business partner) and Solidaridad East Africa (lead administrative partner).