demo

7 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT BAMBOO FARMING IN KENYA

You've probably heard about bamboo farming – how it's changing people's lives in Kenya and how it has the potential to turn you from a middle-income earner into a billionaire in record time.

I, too, became aware of this hysteria due to your inquiries in my WhatsApp Inbox.

Here's a short yet thorough article that will take you (at most) 3 minutes to read.

A Quick Overview of Bamboo Farming

Bamboo cultivation is widespread in China and the United States, farmed for medicinal, aesthetic, and panda feeding purposes. This form of farming is in high demand back home, with possible customers including construction businesses, landscapers, and even beer producers.

How Should I Begin?

It is a company that almost anybody can start. In reality, there are no stringent prerequisites for getting started. All you need is enough land (at least one acre) and the correct knowledge.

The beauty of bamboo plants is that they may grow in any place where maize, wheat, or any other grass family crop flourishes. Here are some short guidelines for selecting the best piece of land for bamboo planting:

soil that drains well; not in a marshy region

a large plot of land with plenty of sunlight

Plantlets should be spaced 5 feet apart.

The rainfall supply is moderate.

the pH of the soil - 6.5 – 8 pH

Where Can I Get Seedlings?

A registered nursery in your neighborhood can provide you with high-quality seedlings. However, before you buy, you should consult with the Ministry of Agriculture extension office in your area.

The Kitil bamboo farm in Isinya Kajiado County is one of the region's few bamboo seedlings and plantlets. The average price per seedling ranges from Ksh.180 to Ksh.250, depending on the quantity purchased.

How long will it take for my money to be returned?

Consider bamboo farming to be a long-term investment, similar to how you would buy a plot of land and wait for it to appreciate before reselling it for a profit. Bamboo plantlets typically mature in 3 to 4 years.

How much money will I need to spend?

To grow bamboo on a one-acre plot of land, you would need to invest the following (estimated) amounts:

Ksh.40,000 = 200 Bamboo Seedlings x Ksh.200

Land tilling and labor = Ksh.25,000

Ksh.10,000 for fungicides

Ksh.50,000 for transportation and harvesting

Ksh.10,000 Miscellaneous

It raises the total to almost Ksh.135,000.

What can I expect in return?

Throughout its life, each bamboo plantlet develops some shoots. A young plant, for example, may develop three branches in two months. Together with the mother plant, those three shoots may generate three shoots each the next season, and so on.

In four years, the one plant you planted will have produced 60 canes reaching a height of thirty feet.

Now, if you sell each pole for Ksh.100, how much will you make from a single plant (which you purchased for Ksh.200)?

60100 = Ksh.6,000

How much do you receive if you multiply Ksh.6,000 by the number of seedlings you purchased?
Ksh.6000 multiplied by 200 is Ksh.1,200,000.

The sole downside of bamboo plants is that they are only economically valuable from the fourth to sixth year after planting.

Is there a ready market for bamboo in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa?

While the market is readily available, you may need to conduct some marketing to generate long-term demand for your goods. The three years that you would have to wait for the crop to grow should be ample time for you to generate a buzz around your farm and ensure that you will be rewarded for your efforts when harvest day arrives.

Aside from direct marketing, you might be creative in creating and selling bamboo items. Bamboo matchsticks, toothpicks, bamboo charcoal, and even bamboo beer are examples of things you may manufacture and sell to a ready market. You may also use it to make excellent art goods that you can sell to individuals and businesses in your neighborhood.

Lastly;

Opportunities, as someone once remarked, come clothed in overalls. Who knows, maybe your first million is hidden amid a bamboo grove. Consider this!

Tags: