An assessment of the viability and potential of bamboo Micro enterprises in environmental conservation and Poverty alleviation in Nairobi city, Kenya

Abstract

Nairobi, Kenya's capital city has undergone rapid urbanization which has been associated with a number of development challenges. Key among these challenges is deterioration in urban environment and urban poverty. Bamboo is a fast growing, renewable, widespread, low cost, environment enhancing resource with great potential in environmental conservation and poverty alleviation. It has been established that bamboo has at least 1500 uses. Bamboo micro-enterprises (BMEs) have recently been put-up in Dagoretti, Kawangware, Karen, Gigiri and the city center of Nairobi, but their contribution to livelihood incomes and environment conservation had previously not been established. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to: explore the sourcing, processing of bamboo as well as the selling and marketing of bamboo products; determine the contribution of BMEs to livelihood incomes; examine the contribution of BMEs to urban environmental conservation; and assess factors influencing the sustainability of BMEs. Snowball sampling was used in primary data collection using questionnaires and interview schedules. A total of 13·key informants were interviewed and 60 questionnaires were administered to proprietors, employees, traders, customers. In addition, observations and photography were also used in data collection. Secondary data were collected from text books, scientific journals, periodicals, reports, published and unpublished theses, International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) data bank and Internet. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics such as means and percentages. Qualitative data were organized and then categorized into themes and patterns, and then the usefulness of the information was evaluated in answering research questions. The study established that the BMEs are providing employment to urban residents who would otherwise have been unemployed and poor; bamboo was also used in several environmental rehabilitation and conservation initiatives in the city. The bamboo nurseries provide bamboo seedlings for aesthetic uses in the residential areas and city centre for beatification and greening programmes; they also provide seedlings' for the city afforestation programmes. The bamboo jua kali (furniture and artifact) sector provides items from a sustainable renewable resource with minimal and bio-degradable wastes. The study revealed that the sustainability of the BMEs is influenced by ecological, economic, socio-cultural, technological and' political/legal factors. Bamboo is a versatile crop with many uses. It is a high-yield natural resource and a viable replacement for wood in many scenarios. Bamboo in the BMEs was sourced mainly from the outskirts of Nairobi, was processed using simple technology and bamboo products were sold without formal marketing strategies. The bamboo sector is fairly new and has many untapped opportunities and the government needs to be more proactive and facilitate its citizens in exploiting the sector. More women need to be sensitized and recruited into the BMEs so as to start their home businesses such as weaving and making toothpicks and skewers.