Frequently Asked Questions

• How can I become a Bamboo contract farmer for Bidco Africa?

  Fill the Expression Of Interest (EOI) form and send it to Bidco for assessment through farmers@bidcoafrica.com , clearly stating the location of your farm, Acreage and your personal details including full name, ID number and phone contact. The farmers who qualify will be taken through the offtake contract with clear obligations from each partner.

• Why is Bamboo important to Bidco?

  Bidco Africa has taken lead to save our forest cover, water towers and the environment at large. This raises the concern to have a source of sustainable and renewable energy. Bamboo is a good source of biomass for energy generation due to its high calorific value and ecofriendly values that it possesses.

• What Bamboo varieties does Bidco Africa recommend?

  Bamboo varieties suitable for biomass production will be recommended by Kenya Forestry
  Research Institute (KEFRI) or Kenya Forest Service (KFS) which varies from one location to another.

• What are the optimum growth conditions for Bamboo?

  Bamboo will grow everywhere in Kenya. There are seedlings for all ecological zones of
  Kenya, from the lowland to the highlands and very cold regions.

  Bamboo grows in an average annual temperature of 20 – 36 C, with monthly average daily
  maxima of 30 – 36 C and daily minimal of 7 – 17 C.

• Where do I get Bamboo seedlings?

  Kitil Farm is a licensed open quarantine which operates in Isinya, Kajiado District – Kenya.

  They grow and sell high quality Bamboo seedlings (Contacts – Mr. Njuguna 0722729630).

  You can also buy Bamboo seedlings from NDEKA in Ndakaini, Gatanga Sub-County,
  Murang’a County (Contacts – Mr. Mukuna – 0711772682) or any other KEFRI or KFS
  approved nurseries.

• How many seedlings do I need per acre?

  One acre of land requires a total of 244 Bamboo seedlings. They are planted and spaced at 5m by 5m.

• Do I require fertilizer for planting and does it require irrigation after establishment?

  You require fertilizer, but it depends on the soil fertility after test. We advise farmers to have the soils tested to know the soil nutrient status.

  However, the use of fertilizer which is high in Nitrogen content like 20N 5P 5K can promote growth.

  Once Bamboo is established, it can withstand water stress, it remains ever green and produces fresh foliage throughout the dry season.

• Does Bidco Africa provide farmers with farm inputs to grow Bamboo?

  Bidco does not provide farmers with farm inputs or credit to buy inputs.

  However, the company provides agronomic and technical support but more importantly
  provides an assured sustainable market for Bamboo.

  Bidco will also link you up with credible input suppliers (seedlings and fertilizers).

• What is the expected yield per acre of Bamboo?

  In an acre of Bamboo, a farmer will harvest approximately 30 to 40 MT of Bamboo
  depending on the variety of Bamboo planted.

• How long does it take for Bamboo to mature?

  Bamboo matures in 3 – 4 years depending on the variety and location grown.

• What quality parameters does Bidco require?

  The delivered Bamboo should not exceed a moisture content of 40%.

  Bamboo should be chipped into 5 mm x5 mm x25 mm size.

  Alternatively, the Bamboo culms can be cut into 1-meter blocks for farmers without a
  chipper.

• Who transports Bamboo to Bidco factory in Thika?

  It is the sole responsibility of the Contractor to organize for the transportation of the harvested Bamboo to Bidco factory in Thika.

• What is the mode of payment and how long does it take to pay?

  The payment process is initiated once the Bamboo is weighed at Bidco factory in Thika. The payment is done directly to the farmer’s Bank Account. Normally, in fourteen days’ time from delivery time, the money will have been transferred to the farmer’s Bank Account.