Timber and bamboo, what do they have in common? They both produce wood, generate oxygen, and lock away CO₂, among other benefits.
Uganda has lost 8 million acres of forest over the past 30 years. While reforestation is essential, addressing this challenge through monocropping, whether eucalyptus or bamboo, comes at the expense of biodiversity.
Bamboo is a powerful carbon sink, but for many applications, such as construction, timber remains indispensable. From both an ecological and a financial perspective, diversification matters. Spreading biological and investment risk is simply smarter.
utga uganda timber growers association has been active for over 15 years. Bamboo Uganda has been around for roughly a third of that time. Different histories, complementary strengths, and shared goals.
So how many more reasons do we need to collaborate?
Last week, we had our first fruitful conversations with the UTGA Chairman James Ssemwanga during their annual event, followed by his participation in our Masterclass last Saturday. A promising start.
When two organisations serve members with aligned ambitions, continuing to work in silos would be short-sighted.
Thank you, UTGA, for your long‑standing role in facilitating and coordinating reforestation.
Now let’s think bigger: How do we restore forests while building a resilient, investable industry?