Bamboo Star Agri Forest Industry, a factory that produce wood products from bamboo, has commenced operation in the Benishangul Gumuz Regional state of Ethiopia.

The factory produces wooden items such as tooth picks and kitchen wares from bamboo. Owner and General Manager of Bamboo Star, Michael Gebru told Capital, the company is planning to expand its product line. He said feasibility study for plywood factory with an investment cost of 20 million Ethiopian birr is already underway.

Bamboo Star cultivates its own bamboo and encourages communities to grow the plant by distributing seedlings and later on buys it back from them. Michael said, his company has distributed 500,000 bamboo plants to farmers in locality and is planning to plant up to one million bamboos by next year, Capital reported.

In addition to creating indirect employment through the distribution of seedlings, Bamboo Star Agri Forest Industry has employed 200 people.

A 2009 study by the International Institute for Environment & Development indicates, Ethiopia constitutes two thirds of Africa’s current total bamboo resources with its 959,662 hectare of highland and lowland covered with bamboo.

Source: Capital