Over 30 cooperatives are engaged in bamboo farming in Sidama
African Bamboo Plc. Awarded US$ 1.75 million in USAID Grant USAID awarded a total grant of US$ 1.75 million to African Bamboo Plc, Fortune reported. One million dollars of the grant is for developing and testing a heating process to make industrial and commercial quality bamboo using biofuels from organic waste. The second grant, amounting to US$ 750,000 is said to help the Company prepare feasibility studies and market analyses to attract investment capital and to meet requirements for exports to the United States and the European Union, according to Fortune. African bamboo is among 475 organisations that applied for the USAID grant, which supports innovative projects integrating clean energy technology into the agriculture sectors of developing countries to improve production. African Bamboo is currently installing machinery at its bamboo production facility. The company is planning to produce bamboo panels for outdoor decking, construction and pre-fabricated bamboo house