Edmond Machoki GreenPot Enterprises Limited central Kenya sales representative displays some of the company's boamboo products at Nyeri ASK show. Photo: Oyugi Zablon

GreenPot Enterprises Limited is keen to add value to bamboo culms by making lucrative products which are widely applicable in construction, energy and textile industries.

The Nairobi based factory seeks to transform individual, community and national fortunes through a raft of innovative bamboo based concepts and initiatives.

“We process bamboo culms to produce among other products floor tiles, block boards, celling boards, biomass, toothpick, biofuel, charcoal, brickets and ornamental products,” said Edmond Machoki, sales representative central Kenya.

GreenPot Enterprises Limited which is first fully integrated Bamboo Company, with operations ranging from large-scale nurseries to establishment of bamboo plantations has plans to set up the country’s first commercial bamboo factory are in high gear.

Their bamboo forest establishment plan involves a combination of the gated communities plus an elaborate community outreach scheme through which out-growers are encouraged to participate in bamboo production vide a series of incentives and support measures.

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Mackoki who spoke during last week Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) show in Nyeri, said that over the years there have been keen interests by the company to introduce key bamboo plantations in Kenya with various species to boost biomass production among other products due to its various desirable attributes.

Bamboo is the largest producer of wood bio-mass in the world with 25-35% annual increase in bio-mass as compared to 2-8% for trees. They also take less time to mature that is 3 to 6 years depending on the species being grown.

According to Nyayo Tea Zones Development Corporation, bamboo has over 1000 documented uses both at domestic and industrial levels. It is a key source of household and industrial energy, building materials and furniture. Today it is estimated that over 1 billion people use bamboo on a daily basis.

“Bamboo is even used as a source of animal and human food among many other uses and it is one of the fastest growing plants on Earth,” says Mackoki adding that this makes bamboo a very viable and feasible source of material for all the goods and services it is expected to provide.

GreenPot Enterprises Limited has its presence in KiaAmbu, Nyeri, Murang’a, Laikipia, Meru counties covering central and Mount Kenya regions with a plan to go countrywide.