Rwanda’s packaging industry on upsurge! Partners with China to import bamboos

Rwanda's Ministry of Environment has ventured into a partnership with China Bamboo Aid Project via Rwanda Water and Forestry Authority for importing bamboos. The aim of Ministry of Environment is to use the imported bamboos in industrial packaging including production of hygiene paper products.

According to The New Times, the bamboo will also be planted along the river banks to conserve the environment, Augustin Mihigo, Bamboo Production and Non-Timber Forest Products Specialist at Rwanda Water and Forestry Authority said. Mihigo further said that the new breeds to be planted include dentroclamus strictus, dentroclamus giganteus, dentroclamus barbaturus and dentroclamus latiflorus – alternatives to the yellow bamboo that government is phasing out.

"We have now about five big bamboos species of which some are edible as vegetables (salad) when they are still young and can also be processed into other food products with some technology that's used in China. The others are for timber to produce tiles, packaging papers and hygiene papers," Mihigo said.

He further added that other species are also taken in consideration like thyrsostachys siamensis and bambusa textilis which are small in size and are very good for furniture. "The species are being piloted on three hectares in Nyaruguru District," he continued. Even there is also a nursery on half a hectare for multiplication at National Tree Seed Centre in the Arboretum forest of Huye District. "The multiplication is underway while we also teach people on cooking methods. It is yet to reach mass consumption," he said, The New Times reported.

Although shortage of land is a challenge, still Rwanda has the potential to grow 30,000 hectares of bamboos. "We have not yet got enough bamboos for production of hygiene paper products and packaging materials despite having completed the feasibility study for the factory for which we are looking for an investor to partner with. We will start with a small model factory that can process bamboos from 500 hectares but we need at least 5,000 hectares to feed a big factory," he added. They are also working with the Chinese experts to ensure multiplication of bamboos for edible and processed products.

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