• Login
    • Login
    Advanced Search
    View Item 
    •   UoN Digital Repository Home
    • Theses and Dissertations
    • Faculty of Science & Technology (FST)
    • View Item
    •   UoN Digital Repository Home
    • Theses and Dissertations
    • Faculty of Science & Technology (FST)
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Factors influencing the development of bamboo value chain in Kenya: A case study of Nairobi county

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    Full text (1.989Mb)
    Date
    2014
    Author
    Ogega, Maureen B
    Type
    Thesis; en_US
    Language
    en
    Metadata
    Show full item record

    Abstract
    Kenya, like many other developing countries has experienced its fair share of challenges of balancing between environmental sustainability and development. Key among these challenges is the deteriorating environment as a result of lack of sustainable livelihood support systems. A large population of Kenya still relies directly on the natural resources for energy and other forms of livelihood support. This leads to rapid land use changes and consequent land degradation which in turn affects the overall wealth of the nation. Bamboo is a fast growing, renewable, widespread, low cost, plant in the family of grasses with great potential in environmental conservation and poverty alleviation. Bamboo has over 1500 documented uses and with the ever growing population it can be a good alternative for conventional resources in Kenya. In Kenya however, the use of bamboo is still minimal and its full potential is yet to be realized. Bamboo enterprises have slowly been established over the recent past and Nairobi County has the most developed enterprises of all other counties in Kenya. The objectives of this study therefore were to: examine the sourcing, processing of raw bamboo as well as the selling and marketing of bamboo products; explore the development of the bamboo value chain in Kenya and; evaluate the challenges to development of the bamboo value chain in Kenya. Snowball sampling was used in primary data collection using questionnaires and interview schedules. A total of 7 key informants were interviewed and 37 questionnaires were administered to bamboo dealers and customers. In addition, observation checklists and photography were also used in data collection. Secondary data were collected from scientific journals, books, periodicals, research reports, published and unpublished theses, International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) data bank and the Internet. Quantitative data were analyzed using measures of central tendencies such as means and percentages. Qualitative data were organized and categorized into thematic areas of the study objectives. The results were presented in form of text, table, charts and photographs. The study established that bamboo was mostly sourced outside Nairobi County as raw poles especially from Kiambu and Kajiado Counties. Processing was done using simple technology and selling of bamboo products was mostly done in Nairobi. Bamboo was also used in several vi environmental rehabilitation initiatives in the capital. Bamboo nurseries provide bamboo seedlings for aesthetic uses in the residential areas and city centre; they also provide seedlings for the city afforestation programmes. The bamboo cottage industry provides items from a sustainable renewable resource with minimal and bio-degradable wastes. The study also revealed that bamboo has the potential to replace wood in many aspects but bamboo remained a fairly untapped resource and compared to most similar products it had no formal marketing structure. It also showed that the bamboo value chain was affected by ecological, social-cultural, legal, technological and economic factors.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/11295/75319
    Collections
    • Faculty of Science & Technology (FST) [4206]

    Copyright © 2022 
    University of Nairobi Library
    Contact Us | Send Feedback

     

     

    Useful Links
    UON HomeLibrary HomeKLISC

    Browse

    All of UoN Digital RepositoryCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Copyright © 2022 
    University of Nairobi Library
    Contact Us | Send Feedback