Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo

Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo: African Bamboo Product Innovation Lab

This machine splits bamboo culms into thirds to produce flat panels for flooring products. Photo credit: Olaf Kammler, African Bamboo.

Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo: African Bamboo Product Innovation Lab

USAID Associate Administrator (Acting Deputy) Mark Feierstein addresses the Ethiopian press at the African Bamboo testing facility in Addis Ababa and announces the enterprise won the Powering Agriculture grant award for innovation in energy. Photo credit: Olaf Kammler, African Bamboo.

Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo: African Bamboo Product Innovation Lab

Joerg Stamm of African Bamboo explains prototype samples of the finished bamboo products manufactured by African Bamboo to USAID Ethiopia's Cullen Hughes. Photo credit: Olaf Kammler, African Bamboo.

Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo: African Bamboo Product Innovation Lab

After the tour of African Bamboo's testing facility, visiting officials from USAID and GIZ enjoy traditionally prepared Ethiopian coffee. Photo credit: Olaf Kammler, African Bamboo.

Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo: African Bamboo Product Innovation Lab

African Bamboo General manager Khalid Duri greets visiting USAID officials inside the Addis Ababa product innovation lab where the firm tests ways to produce the best quality bamboo for use in products such as flooring, furnishing, and construction. Photo credit: Olaf Kammler, African Bamboo.

Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo: African Bamboo Product Innovation Lab

African Bamboo General Manager Khalid Duri and USAID Assistant Administrator for Africa, Earl Gast, discuss bamboo farming and industrial uses inside the company's test facility in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Photo credit: Nena Terrell, USAID Ethiopia.

Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo: African Bamboo Product Innovation Lab

Khalid Duri, African Bamboo Founder and General Manager, explains at a briefing for the media, how the need to replace depleting supplies of hardwood led to the discovery of untapped, fast growing, renewable bamboo reserves in Ethiopia. Photo credit: Daniel Mesfin, US Embassy Addis Ababa.

Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo: African Bamboo Product Innovation Lab

Supply Chain Manager Dr. Abdunasser explains the social impact of the bamboo value chain beginning with training of bamboo farmers whose livelihoods improve from sale of bamboo culms. Photo credit: Olaf Kammler, African Bamboo.

Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo: African Bamboo Product Innovation Lab

Dr. Gatew explains the glue process after thermal modification. African Bamboo is testing different formulations of glue an different methods of soaking to improve the quality of the product. Photo credit: USAID Ethiopia.

Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo: African Bamboo Product Innovation Lab

Thermal modification (heat) changes the properties of bamboo fibers. similar to baking, the heat in this process breaks down the natural sugars in bamboo and darkens the color. Heat removes moisture, reducing swelling and shrinkage in the final product. Photo credit: Olaf Kammler, African Bamboo.

Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo: African Bamboo Product Innovation Lab

This crushing machine removes the hard exterior and soft, pulpy interior of bamboo culms, leaving only the durable,woody fibers needed for high-quality products. In this machine, split culms pass through several blades which strip different fiber types. Photo credit: Olaf Kammler, African Bamboo.

Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo: African Bamboo Product Innovation Lab

African Bamboo CEO Kahlid Duri begins the tour of the Product Development and Innovation facility for visiting USAID officials with the machine for cutting the bamboo culms. Photo credit: USAID Ethiopia.

Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo: African Bamboo Product Innovation Lab

Dr. Gatew displays bamboo fibers that have gone through the crusher. In this untreated state the flattened fibers still contain high levels of moisture, which can lead to rot, and naturally occurring sugars which attract insects. Photo credit: USAID Ethiopia.

Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo: African Bamboo Product Innovation Lab

USAID's Earl Gast examines a sample of bamboo treated in the glue kitchen where African Bamboo tests a variety of methods for sealing the bamboo after thermal modification. Photo credit: USAID Ethiopia.

Powering Agriculture Innovations in Energy and Agriculture: African Bamboo: African Bamboo Product Innovation Lab

African Bamboo's Industrial engineer, Dr. Gulelat Gatew, explains to visiting USAID officials the testing that will be done with the Powering Agriculture Grand Challenge award. Photo credit: Nena Terrell, USAID Ethiopia.

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