Nigeria is a country rich with natural resources. One of the most abundant resources in Nigeria are forests which produce bamboo – an excellent material for construction.
However, these forests are under threat from deforestation and the timber industry there. The government has been trying to come up with ways to protect this resource but measures have not been successful. If you want to help save Nigeria’s bamboo forest then read on!
This post is about how you can start your own bamboo farming business in Nigeria and make six figure profits per year while doing so.
You may have heard about the many benefits of bamboo. It’s eco-friendly, sustainable, and requires little maintenance. But there is a catch – you need to know how to grow it in order to reap these benefits. If you’re interested in starting your own bamboo farm or business, this article will give you tips on how to get started!
Bamboo
Bamboo is a versatile plant that can be used in building materials, furniture, and even landscapes. It has been around for centuries but recently more people are using it today due to its sustainability features. In the United States bamboo grows quickly- up to 3 feet every day! This means less land needs to be cleared of other vegetation or crops just so we have space for our facilities with all this new demand coming from the public interest in sustainable products.
The world’s fastest growing vegetable on earth also produces double what conventional wood does without pesticides thanks largely because there are no insects interested since they don’t like anything about them including their taste bud receptors (which makes sense considering how bad some plants tastes). If you’re thinking about getting started with your own bamboo farm, check out the infographic below covering some of your options.
So remember you can plant bamboo in almost any climate and it grows quickly helping cut down on carbon emissions by using less land to grow the same amount of product! It also doesn’t taste anything like any other vegetable available to us so there’s no need to worry about it growing in your yard and becoming a pest.
Just be sure to use some common sense when you’re near bamboo. The leaves are very sharp and the stalks are even worse so wear long sleeves or pants if you can (no one wants cuts). Also, do not compost any part of bamboo as it is poisonous for your soil- it’s not just its taste that’s bad!
Bamboo Farming
Bamboo can start as a seed and grow into an over-achiever in less than 18 months.
Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on Earth because it only needs ground water, sun light, air circulation around its leaves, and space to stretch itself out. It grows so quickly that some people use bamboo sticks for toothpicks or chopsticks!
Bamboo is used for building quick growth, strength to weight ratio and natural pest resistance.
It grows in a variety of environments so it is often used as an alternative to wood.
The one downside to bamboo’s strength-to-weight ratio is that it breaks easily when exposed to the ground because it has no root system to support the plant.
Some Pandas rely on bamboo for food and shelter. There are fewer than 1,600 of them left in the wild! Bamboo helps keep forest ecosystems healthy too. Each year, their dying leaves release around 5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which is more than most trees emit in their lifetime.
For those aiming to be more sustainable or eco-friendly, bamboo is a great alternative material to treat with because of it’s fast growth rate and renewable nature. Bamboo can even be converted into charcoal which has many industrial uses.
The market for bamboo is growing quickly but the future of this plant looks bright and stable as long as people continue to understand the value of this renewable resource.
Reason why you should start bamboo farming
You may have never heard of bamboo before, but the plant is actually one of Earth’s most useful resources. Bamboo can be used to make paper and clothing just like cotton or silk; it also has many other uses such as food for animals and fuel in developing countries.
All you need are a few simple tools: pots, pans, spoons- anything that will help cut through this tough material! Be sure not to over water your plants either because too much moisture will suffocate them. As for watering frequency? It all depends on where you live– if there is enough rain (or humidity), then less often should do the trick since they don’t require direct contact with water every day. But if it doesn’t get moist naturally, then you might want to water them daily.
Each type of bamboo can give you different textures and shades, as well as make a beautiful addition to your décor. Although it may be tempting to plant too much, remember that each type of bamboo can only grow in specific climates and soil compositions! Heat-loving varieties work best in warm regions, and cold-resistant types should be planted in regions with a cooler climate.
In the event that your bamboo gets infected with diseases, worry not! Bamboo is very resilient to illness. Just remember: keep your bamboo (and other plants) clean of insects because it might just spread to all of your other plants as well!
Bamboo can be harvested at different growth stages. The fastest way to get bamboo is to plant seeds and let them mature naturally, which takes about two to five years before they start producing leaves.
You will know the plants are ready for harvesting when they can produce 10-15 centimeters of new growth each year. If you want a more sustainable alternative, you can also wait till you see new bamboo shoots (or culms) and harvest them from the root.
If you’re not sure what to do with your harvested bamboo, there are many uses for it! You can dry it or use a sharp object like scissors to cut into strips — whatever works best for you! Then go ahead and DIY something for your living space!
So how do you take care of your bamboo?
The key is to learn about your plant prior to planting it. Different types of bamboo have different characteristics — some grow a certain way or need more sunlight than others, for example. Look up the soil composition their native environment and decide whether it’s safe to transplant based on your local environment.
Make sure to water your bamboo regularly and fertilize it as well– the fertilizer will help nutrients circulate throughout the plant! You can also use sprays or natural remedies for pests, but be aware that some pesticides may not be safe to use on certain kinds of plants!
Prepare Land For Bamboo
Land preparation is an important first step for bamboo farming. The soil needs to be thoroughly tilled and fertilized with organic compost, while the potential planting site should ideally have a southern exposure so that it will catch as much sunlight as possible during the day.
It’s also crucial to choose plants which are suited for your climate zone in order to avoid future disappointment or even failure of crops due to temperature fluctuations not being tolerated by those specific species from other parts of Asia where they may naturally grow and water conditions vary widely in different regions of the continent; therefore, those plants will perform best if they’ve been bred specifically to tolerate those climatic differences.
In Asia, bamboo is generally harvested 3-5 years after planting. A good time to harvest is when the plant’s diameter has reached around 10 cm at breast height (1.2 m). During the first year, it’s better not to disturb your new plantation too much because all plants require time to settle in as well as some initial protection from direct sunlight and excessive wind.
If needed, you can use bamboo sticks for support, which should later be removed once the plant has established itself. However, during this time make sure to regularly water your new garden and apply organic fertilizer. If you are using a bottom-up method, bamboo can be transplanted while still young into polyethylene pots or baskets and then transplanted again during the second year into larger holes once it has developed root hairs, which will make it easier for it to anchor itself in its new location.
During the first two-three years, your bamboo will need to be protected from direct sunlight due to its delicate leaves. If needed, a shade net could be placed on top of your plantation during the day; however, it’s best not to do this for longer than three years because you’ll risk stunting growth and killing the plant in the process.
You can also attach a fine mesh of bamboo sticks to the fence that separates your plantation from the next one, so that it will be able to catch some sunlight without being burnt by too much exposure.
Because all bamboos are planted in holes three times their diameter and depth, they need additional care for at least 12-24 months after being transplanted.
This is the time when they’ll develop and expand their root system, so it’s important to check the soil for moisture regularly during dry periods. Also, try to avoid any strong winds in those first few years as this can damage your plants’ fragile leaves or even topple them over altogether.
Flowering occurs mostly in the spring and is signaled by of thin, elegant stalks with tiny flowers at the tip. This process takes several months from start to finish, during which time the flower stalk will grow up to an impressive three meters in height.
The flowers themselves are quite insignificant but their pollen may be used as food for bees or bamboo beetles. It’s important to note that flowering will not occur in the first year after planting; this may be due to the fact that bamboos are actually either male or female and therefore need a partner of the opposite sex.
In China, bamboo leaves are used for weaving baskets as well as making hats and shoes. In India, the bamboo trunk is used for building while in Thailand both the leaves and root are used to make bamboo hats. In Indonesia, the flower buds can be eaten like corn on the cob, while other parts of the plant have been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times.
However, most bamboos today are grown not for their tasty or practical uses but simply for decorative purposes in gardens and parks. They are certainly an elegant addition to any landscape, adding height as well as decorating a garden with their vibrant leaves and graceful form.
In terms of construction , bamboo has been used since ancient times due to its strength-to-weight ratio, which is the highest of any plant on Earth. These days it’s most commonly used for structural members in buildings and bridges, but it is also very popular for scaffolding .
Other than that, bamboo can be made into paper , cloth , food products and even biofuel. In the future, we may also be able to use bamboo fibers as an alternative to carbon fiber in materials such as aircrafts or cars.
Each bamboo plant has an area of approximately 4 m², meaning that one hectare (10 000 m²) of mature bamboo can produce about 35 metric tons of biomass per year. Additionally, each plant absorbs CO2 at a rate of 0.8-1.6 kg/year, depending on its size and the amount of sunlight it receives.
In the future, this could have a significant impact on carbon emissions and global warming . B efficient when it comes to water consumption; in fact, if allowed adequate space, one bamboo plant can produce 30% more material than 10 trees of comparable size.
In some countries in Asia , there are even companies that convert bamboo waste into bio-energy in the form of gas or charcoal briquettes for cooking and heating. Unlike coal, which has negative effects on the environment due to its release of toxic gases when burned, bamboo is considered carbon neutral because it absorbs as much CO2 as other plants absorb while growing.
However these companies should not be seen as a solution to our energy problems, since there is simply not enough bamboo waste in the world to replace significant amounts of fossil fuels; it really should be seen as a supplement.
Also Read>>> How To Start Rice Business In Nigeria
Planting Of Bamboo
In the wild, bamboo is often planted to create a natural barrier between people and places. In order for this plant to thrive in an urban environment like your backyard or garden, you will need some help from us at Planting Bamboo!
Our team of certified professionals has years worth of experience caring for these plants while maximizing growth rates outside their native habitats. Contact our local experts today if you are ready invest in one-of-a kind landscaping ideas that maximize sustainability all year long with plantation grown bamboo.
A lot goes into planting healthy sustainable bamboo—from choosing the right variety based on how much sun it needs as well as its size requirements; making sure there’s enough soil depth and drainage layers needed so they can grow extensively without as much maintenance.
Our team will help you with all of these concerns so that your bamboo plantings for property owners or business owners can be easily maintained and increase the value of your land through smart design.
Harvest
Harvesting bamboo does not involve the felling of entire plants. Instead, just the branches within reach are cut off and used for building work or other purposes . The plant is not harmed in the process and will continue to do its job of absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere.
It can also be used for feedstock in order to create a number of things such as bioethanol , which is made by fermenting bamboo stems into alcohol. This can then be mixed with gasoline or other kinds of fuel, in order to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases produced by cars.
But although bamboo provides us with all these benefits, it is still only used to a very limited degree. This is probably because unprocessed bamboo doesn’t look appealing and therefore no one invests in making it look better for our use. For example, if you have ever seen bamboo flooring, you would probably wonder what the point was.
Bamboo looks better in its natural state: if it has been processed and designed to be used as flooring, then we end up just replacing one type of tree with another! Therefore, instead of processing or destroying bamboo’s aesthetics , we should focus on developing new products that utilize bamboo ina efficient way possible.
• Bamboo flooring is a “natural” alternative to real wood flooring, although it’s more expensive.
• Bamboo paper is very different than regular paper – it has almost no smell or color, so it can be used in packaging like plastic films .
• Bamboo clothing can be very soft and comfortable to wear.
• Bamboo fabric contains natural dyes from the bamboo material, making it a much more sustainable choice for clothes manufacturers than synthetic fibers . Also, unlike cotton or wool, bamboo clothing is cool in hot weather because the pores are naturally designed to help release hea and moisture.
The development of these new uses for bamboo enables us to make full use of this fast-growing grass and benefit from all the products it has to offer without destroying an entire piece of nature every time we need a product made from it . It’s sustainable in that sense .
Bamboo is very strong, lightweight, flexible and can be used for a variety of different purposes . In the Central American country, El Salvador , bamboo is used as scaffolding to construct buildings that are up to 12 stories high.
Because aluminum and steel have higher melting points than bamboo when heated, they cannot be bent into certain shapes like bamboo can. Another material often used in building work is fiberglass, which is also very expensive and has a low melting point. Not only that, but fiberglass releases harmful fumes when it’s heated. This means that bamboo scaffolding is actually safer than other common types of scaffolding .
In western Asia , they are used to make roofs out of bamboo poles instead of concrete or steel, because the materials used are much lighter. Also, this type of bamboo is usually coated with a plastic resin to make it stronger and more water-resistant.
Bamboo roofs are easy to install since they do not require heavy equipment or lifting devices , and they are also efficient at keeping buildings cool in the summertime .
• Bamboo can be used for many other purposes as well, such as for making ski poles , skis and bike frames . Bamboo is also a great material for building fences againts wild animals because the bamboo sticks block animals from getting into an area but are very easy to remove.
So instead of using wood or cloth , we could start using bamboo, which would benefit both us and the environment. Bamboo is very strong and durable, so could be used for many purposes like scaffolding to construct buildings or using it as pole fences. Even though bamboo has natural imperfections , we should try to use them instead of trying to rectify those flaws, since that would simply take away from the natural beauty of this great material .
But can it work as a “paper” substitute?
So instead of cutting down trees and using other paper products, we could use bamboo to make paper or use the already existing bamboo papers . In that sense, we would be saving more trees from being cut down. Also, since only 20% of the bamboos are used for their fibers, we could use the rest for paper production.
Bamboo paper is called “shan zhu zhi”. It’s made by chemically treating bamboo material to make it strong and waterproof. Even though this type of paper does not have much color or smell, it can be used for packaging like plastic films. In fact, we should focus on developing b hiamboo papers instead of using synthetic fiber “paper” products that are not as effective at trapping odors.
• Bamboo clothing are very soft and comfortable to wear, because the bamboo fabric contains natural dyes from the bamboo material. Also, unlike cotton or wool, bamboo clothing is cool in hot weather because the pores are naturally designed to help release heat and moisture.
The development of these new uses for bamboo enables us to make full use of this fast-growing grass and benefit from all the products it has to offer without destroying an entire piece of nature every time we need a product made from it . It’s sustainable in that sense .
• Bamboo is very strong, lightweight, flexible and can be used for a variety of different purposes . In the Central American country, El Salvador , bamboo is used as scaffolding to construct buildings that are up to 12 stories high.
The organic material is super trendy, but you might not know how to go about marketing bamboo products.
There are many ways that you can market your new and exciting line of eco-friendly home goods made from beautiful sustainable materials such as bamboo! Some ideas for getting the word out include hosting a pop up store in an area where there’s plenty of foot traffic so that people have easy access to browse without having to make special arrangements by contacting them ahead on social media sites or through email listings with local magazines who will be happy to spread the news via their readership base.
You could also market your bamboo products by contacting local community colleges and universities. Students who are looking for new ways to add unique touches to their dorm room décor might be very happy to learn about the sustainable nature of your bamboo products as well as how eco-conscious you are when it comes to choosing natural materials over synthetic alternatives that can potentially harm both people and the environment.
You could even offer a discount or two for those who would like to make sustainable choices with their home goods in an effort to protect the future of the planet.
Another great way to market your bamboo product line is via local newspapers and magazines who are always looking for new ways to keep up with what’s going on in their community.
For example, if you’ve chosen to focus on bamboo products that are a part of your home décor or even fashion accessories such as handbags and shoes made from bamboo fibers using local artisans; why not take this opportunity to promote your brand, the process that goes into making these beautiful eco-friendly materials and how they can potentially benefit the community as a whole.
Local publications will be very interested in covering your company and its mission, especially if you have a unique story to tell that they can relate to their readership base.
For example; maybe your family has been working with bamboo for generations and now want to branch out into other eco-friendly materials in an effort to provide solid, reusable alternatives for the future of our planet. This is a great cause that many people in your area will be happy to learn about and even take an interest in contributing to!
In addition to these suggestions, you should probably start by utilizing social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter to get the word out about your new product line. Start off by creating a brand name and logo for the company that will help establish a lasting impression in people’s minds.
After this, you’ll want to employ social media marketing tactics such as posting pictures of your products on Instagram with other inspiring images that illustrate eco-friendly living, campaigns to protect animals, the impact of technology on our society and lifestyles, or even compelling stories that promote access to clean drinking water for people living in third world countries.
Lastly:
If you want to start a lucrative business with the potential for six figure earnings, bamboo farming is your answer. This plant thrives in Nigeria and can be used as raw material or processed into many other things such as furniture, paper products, textile fibers etc.
The benefits of this process are not only environmental but also financial. Bamboo plantations can be started by individuals and organizations alike. The government of Nigeria is already promoting bamboo farming in the northern part of the country with a lot of benefits to the farmer such as tax holidays, free land for planting among many others. You too can start a business like this and benefit from it practically immediately.