This is a greening, climate change response, corporate social investment, enterprise development and black economic empowerment programme. 

Carbon offset opportunity is offered which includes community training and support is. The proceeds from the accumulated carbon offsets will be managed to support further community development programmes.

The programme includes other plant materials that address economic development and food insecurity, that are intercropped in an agroforestry type planting that requires no fertiliser and little irrigation. 

Bamboo for Africa encourages capacity building in low income communities. Planting regimes ensure that community members are remunerated for planting and ensures the value added benefits are communicated to ensure longevity of the project. It will also provide for a sustainable relationship where the community may become a supplier of goods to the donor in the form of materials or fuel.

Donors or carbon offsetters have the opportunity to gain from the sustainably managed project in terms of biomass offset and further value added manufacturing in the community to support their own business requirements.

Relevant government Departments of Agriculture and Social Welfare are engaged and provide the necessary support structure to ensure legislative compliance.

Bamboo provides a high impact carbon sequestration opportunity with multi faceted community beneficiation and the programme is introduced to the community with plantings at public schools and on open/tribal land.

World's first bamboo carbon offset credits issued under the VCS

How Bamboo for Africa works:

The programme is introduced to the community with plantings at public schools and on open/community land Plants are procured and delivered to the beneficiary sited Bamboo cultivation and its income generation ability are demonstrated Planting events (which can be branded and attended by the funders for publicity) are often held to highlight the benefits of greening and climate change action and spread awareness and education

Bamboo creates the exciting potential for small scale value added manufacturing opportunities. The emergence of high energy crops opens up the opportunity for communities to share in the New Green Economy, as fast growing bamboo contributes to biomass value addition. Larger scale local developments are planned, implemented and managed in conjunction with community beneficiation programmes The projects combine the following, all from single project design: Social Responsibility: Provide opportunities for corporate in Kenya to reach compliance Enterprise Development: Agriculture and manufacturing enterprises that are environmentally sound and sustainable Environmental Responsibility: Countering soil erosion, phyto-remediation of polluted soil and water. Carbon sequestering / Offset opportunities.

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Bamboo benefits:

• Combats soil erosion
• Reforests areas denuded of vegetation caused by demand for cooking fuel
• Removes heavy metals and other pollutants from polluted water
• Responds to climate change through carbon sequestration
• Provides shade and creates windbreaks for food crops. Can be grown as a living fence to keep animals in or out
• Provides food for humans in the form of shoots and animal fodder in the form of leaves
• Assists in capturing water allowing it to percolate instead of flowing away
• Can be planted as noise barriers and windbreaks
• Develops greener more aesthetically pleasing settlements and a better living environment
• Provides a habitat for wildlife and improved biodiversity
• Contributes to economic development and creation of jobs at a local level
• Increases environmental awareness through communities locally and from publicity nationally
• Creates opportunities for communities to enter the New Green Economy and so creates rural wealth instead of the standard poverty relief programmes
• Provides communities a sustainable clean source of cooking fuel protecting indigenous trees from destruction
• Creates opportunities for rural industrialization to reverse the urban migration trend
• Provides opportunities for rural communities to become energy independent
• Is a proven successful way to fight rural poverty in a environmental friendly way

Renewable energy options

• Biomass Gasification: Alternative fuel for boilers and dryers
• Bio-Cat Technology
• Bio mass enviofit Cook Stoves
• Sustainable low cost bio-diesel
• Renewable consumer products
• Timber replacement
• Steel roofing replacement
• Animal feed
• Soil amendment