The site comprises some 10,000 ha of bamboo spread across five blocks located in Nansebo woreda, West Arsi zone, Oromia region, and is located approximately 389 km from the capital, Addis Ababa. The blocks are distributed across seven kebele (i.e. village administrations) that collectively cover some 54,000 ha. Land use in the 54,000 ha includes: agriculture, pasture, natural forest, bamboo forest, shrub, settlements, streams, roads and tracks. The terrain within the harvest blocks is steep, averaging 30-60% slope, and ranges in elevation from 2,400 to over 3,000 m above sea level.

African Bamboo identified and started preparatory activities in the site in 2016. The site is important for developing a secure, long-term source of bamboo for the group’s operations in Ethiopia. Once the bamboo stand has been successfully improved, the site will be able to supply approximately 200,000 green metric tonnes of bamboo per annum. Commercial sized culms will be sold to the Hawassa scrimberboard factory, and non-commercial sized culms will be processed on site in to residential heating pellets.

Since identifying the site, African Bamboo has successfully:

• Secured a 25-year supply-purchase agreement with Oromia Forest and Wildlife Enterprise.
• Developed a financial model for site activities.
• Completed bamboo resource mapping.
• Conducted community consultations, engagement and stakeholder mapping.
• Completed a bamboo inventory over the site.
• Designed road access, harvesting coups and other facilities and infrastructure needs.
• Completed an environmental impact assessment and secured our environmental permit.
• Developed a 10-year forest management plan.
• Developed a preliminary Community Roadmap Agreement template.
• Engaged NGO partners to support community engagement.
• Compiled preliminary lists of vertebrate biodiversity.

We aim to develop the project site during Phase 2 of project implementation in Ethiopia and are currently engaged with development finance institutions to raise the necessary capital.