What we do

Uganda Bamboo Association (UBA) is a platform of organizations and individuals who share resources, including knowledge and technology, in a bid to enhance bamboo production and value addition. UBA supports training on all aspects of bamboo production and processing, multiplication of bamboo planting materials, bamboo plantation establishment and management, value addition and marketing. It has the aspirations to be a lead organization in product innovations and a key market player, locally, nationally and in the region.

VISION
An Integrated bamboo industry contributing to improved incomes, poverty reduction and green national economy.

MISSION
To promote sustainable and profitable production and utilization of bamboo resources to enhance national wealth and ecosystem health

GOAL
To facilitate nationwide bamboo growing and value addition for domestic, regional and global markets

Strategic objectives and strategies

The strategic objectives and strategies for the achievement of the mission and goal are provided below:

a) Support the expansion of quality bamboo plantations by UBA members and the communities.

• Select suitable bamboo species in accordance with the sites and end use.
• Produce and plant high quality seedlings
• Provide technical extension support for plantation establishment and management.
• Recruit more communities to establish bamboo plantations.

b) Develop capacity of members and other actors for production, value addition and marketing.

• Conduct skills training on production and value addition for UBA members and other communities.
• Conduct demonstrations for practical learning of the members.
• Participate in national and international exhibitions and trade fairs for exposure of the members to needs of the market.
• Conduct exhibitions / shows in the local markets to display and sell products of UBA.
• Maintain data base for monitoring, information sharing and dissemination on production, technologies, products and markets.

c) Promote bamboo product research and development within and networking with partners.

• Establish facilities for bamboo poles treatment, drying and storage.
• Establish and equip a workshop for bamboo product innovation, demonstration and development.
• Develop linkage with partners in bamboo product research, innovation, standards and development.

d) Promote market-oriented production and product development.

• Select species for planting based on the final product demanded by the market.
• Carry out research on market needs to feed into product innovation and development.
• Collect regular information on market trends, prices and supplies to understand and follow the market dynamics.
• Demonstrate an integrated bamboo supply and value chain.
• Reach out to the customers for appreciation and feedback.

e) Establish sustainable sources of funding within UBA and outside.

• Develop bankable proposals for funding of projects on production and value addition.
• Lobby for funding from banks, donors, private sector players for investment projects.
• Establish mechanisms for raising funds from skills training, product incubation, supply of planting materials, sale of processed products, marketing commissions and public good funding from government.
• Establish savings and credit cooperative society for the members and other interested persons.

THEMATIC AREAS

Key Thematic and Result Areas

a) Support the expansion of quality bamboo plantations by UBA members and the communities.

• The Association will produce 12,000,000 high quality seedlings for planting and 2,000,000 seedlings from Kasagala CFR for sale to plantation developers.
• Members shall establish 5,000 ha on private land and 500 ha (Kasagala CFR) of high-quality bamboo plantation by the end of the plan.
• Recruit at least 2,630 other community members in around the country and provide extension support for planting of 5,500 ha of bamboo using seedlings raised by UBA members. Nakasongola is a lead charcoal production area from wood which has got depleted. Bamboo charcoal can form the basis for adoption of bamboo planting for charcoal production.

b) Develop capacity of members and other actors for production, value addition and marketing.

• Conduct practical skills training on bamboo plantation establishment, maintenance at least 2 times annually.
• Conduct practical skills training for harvesting, management and treatment in the 3rd year at least 2 times annually.
• Organize, annually, at least 1 exhibition / show for display of UBA products and services provided and participate in events arranged by other partners.
• Maintain an efficient and accessible data base for storage of information on all areas of the bamboo value chain.

c) Promote bamboo product research and development within and networking with partners.

• Two (2) large facilities established for the treatment, drying and storage of bamboo poles in Kasagala and another place (to be chosen later) by the third year of the plan.
• Establish two workshops with efficient equipment for bamboo product innovation, demonstration and development.
• Develop functional partnership agreements with relevant partners in Bamboo value addition, research, standards especially UIRI, NaFFORI, MUK and UNBS respectively.

d) Promote market-oriented production and product development.

• Select at least 5 bamboo species most suited to Kasagala CFR and other parts of the country in agro-climatic and ecological conditions and carry out species - site matching in the first year of the plan.
• Conduct quarterly market surveys and market stakeholder consultations to collect market information and feedback on product performance to guide value addition.

f) Establish sustainable sources of funding within UBA and outside.

• The UBA technical team will prepare funding proposals following any opportunities from government and development partners supporting Environment, Forestry or Business development.
• Develop own internal funding sources including members contributions, fees for conducting trainings, sale of bamboo products, commissions from sales done on behalf of the members and other players, advertising, exhibitions, fundraising and accommodation.
• Lobby for public good grants from government agencies or NGOs to support activities that contribute to ecological restoration, climate mitigation or poverty reduction.
• Operationalize a SACCO as a business arm of UBA for the members to access credit or make savings at modest interest rates.
• Conduct fund raising events for public good activities like awareness, restoration planting of degraded landscapes, corporate social responsibility to communities.