NewsInauguration of the Multipurpose Bamboo Center
New bamboo center in Ethiopia aims to cultivate the next generation of bamboo professionals.
With the support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), INBAR has been implementing a pilot project since 2023 aimed at fostering a circular economy and enhancing climate change resilience through the development of a bamboo supply chain in Ethiopia. As part of this initiative, INBAR, in collaboration with its partners, facilitated the construction of the Multipurpose Bamboo Center in Bonke District, South Ethiopia Regional State. The facility was built using locally sourced bamboo raw materials, with active participation from the community and youth trained by the project.
The Center is designed to support members of an administrative division known as woredas in Ethiopia, particularly focusing on cooperatives that grow bamboo, providing them with a workspace to enhance their capacity for producing value-added bamboo products. Furthermore, it will serve as a bamboo depot, supplying quality bamboo raw materials to potential processors in the surrounding areas. The construction of the bamboo center was successfully completed and officially handed over to the District Administration Bureau on 8 February 2025.
On this occasion, Biruk Kebede, Acting Director for INBAR’s East Africa Regional Office, expressed that the event marked a significant success for the project, highlighting that locally available bamboo poles were used to construct a beautiful multipurpose bamboo depot in collaboration with the local government. He emphasized that this initiative not only involved the construction of the center but also empowered the local youth group by sharing skills and knowledge on bamboo house construction.
Mr. Gizatie Gijie, Director General of the Environment Protection and Development Bureau of South Ethiopia Regional Forestry, also highlighted during the launch of the multi-purpose center that the bureau is highly focused on the effective utilization of the region’s abundant bamboo resources and is actively working towards cultivating a new generation of bamboo professionals.
He expressed gratitude for the support provided by the INBAR-AECID project, particularly in constructing the multi-purpose center for the district’s bamboo cooperative youth, as well as providing training in bamboo handicraft product development and semi-processing tools. In his concluding remarks, he assured that the bureau would continue to monitor and provide the necessary support to ensure the sustainable operation of the center and in extending this experience to neighboring districts.
