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Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...

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Value Chain Analysis for Bamboo Originating from Shedem Kebele, <strong>Bale</strong> Z<strong>on</strong>e *<br />

Arsema Andargatchew Tesfaye<br />

<strong>Bale</strong> Eco-Regi<strong>on</strong> Sustainable Management Programme (BERSMP) of FARM-Africa and SOS<br />

Sahel Ethiopia<br />

Email: arsemaa@ethi<strong>on</strong>et.et<br />

Abstract<br />

Ethiopia has approximately 1 milli<strong>on</strong> ha of natural bamboo forest, which is about 7% of <strong>the</strong> world total<br />

and 67% of <strong>the</strong> African bamboo forest area. The <strong>Bale</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> has <strong>the</strong> largest percentage (38.7%)<br />

of reported highland bamboo in Ethiopia. Local communities use bamboo mainly for c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong>,<br />

fences, furniture and household utensils. Shedem is a kebele in <strong>the</strong> Goba woreda, <strong>Bale</strong> z<strong>on</strong>e where<br />

a large number of people are involved in bamboo culms extracti<strong>on</strong>. Due to c<strong>on</strong>cerns regarding <strong>the</strong><br />

current rate of extracti<strong>on</strong> and <strong>the</strong> potential importance of bamboo as a means of livelihood, value<br />

chain analysis was carried out in this kebele. Results show that communities in Shedem depend<br />

highly <strong>on</strong> bamboo as a source of income. On average 47% of <strong>the</strong> annual income is estimated to be<br />

derived from bamboo sale. It is estimated that 3,356,055–3,750,885 bamboo culms are c<strong>on</strong>sumed<br />

per year from Shedem which accounts for 1.18–1.3% of all bamboo resources in <strong>the</strong> kebele. This<br />

study suggests that despite additi<strong>on</strong>al utilisati<strong>on</strong> of bamboo in neighbouring kebeles, current harvest<br />

rates do not seem to be unsustainable. However, <strong>the</strong> harvesting method used, which often damages<br />

young shoots, has led to some c<strong>on</strong>cerns. Results indicated that <strong>the</strong>re are three independent chains for<br />

bamboo culms bought directly from harvesters: crafts people, intermediaries and locals purchasing<br />

for c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong>. Craft producers were found to derive <strong>the</strong> largest income from bamboo (6.6 ETB/<br />

culm) followed by farmers/harvesters (1 ETB/culm). Value chain analyses revealed little or no<br />

communicati<strong>on</strong> am<strong>on</strong>g actors <strong>the</strong>reby reducing <strong>the</strong> efficacy of bamboo resource utilizati<strong>on</strong>.<br />

Introducti<strong>on</strong><br />

Bamboo is a heavily utilised natural resource in many parts of <strong>the</strong> world. Some of its uses include<br />

flooring, sheets, panelling, paper, and shoots being used as food in many Asian cuisines. In Ethiopia,<br />

except for a couple of newly established private enterprises, <strong>the</strong> use of bamboo is mainly for<br />

c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong>, fencing and some rudimentary furniture and household utensils (Ensermu et al. 2000;<br />

Eastern Africa Bamboo Project 2007). Communities living in and around bamboo forests depend <strong>on</strong><br />

bamboo for multiple purposes ranging from household use to use as a cash crop. Therefore, bamboo<br />

plays a very important social, ec<strong>on</strong>omic and ecological role in Ethiopia (Ensermu et al. 2000).<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>Walia</str<strong>on</strong>g>-<str<strong>on</strong>g>Special</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Editi<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Bale</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> 213

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