A factory that will process bamboos into different products is set to start operations in August this year, according to Jeanne d'Arc Mujawamariya, the Minister of Environment.

In December last year Rwanda Development Board (BRD) and the Ministry of Environment signed an agreement with East Africa Bamboo Forest Industry to plant 2,300 hectares of bamboo in the districts of Kigali, Bugesera, Ngoma and Rwamagana.

On Friday last week, the Minister for Environment signed a concession agreement on land for the company to have permanent bamboo nurseries in Rwanda. The investor is tasked with establishing a quality seedling raising centre to provide bamboo seedlings in Rwanda and for exportation.

The bamboos are expected to serve as raw materials for a bamboo processing factory expected in Kicukiro district to locally manufacture various products.

The products include construction materials such as marine board and plywood for sale in local and export markets, toilet paper, toothbrushes, shoe brushes, furniture such as chairs and other sanitary products.

In a press conference about the environment week, Mujawamariya said that the factory could start operating soon considering that there are bamboos that are about to be harvested across the country.

"We have bamboos that are about to be harvested. We have signed an agreement with investors and the factory is about to be complete to produce bamboo-related products. They will also plant bamboos including edible bamboos,” she said.

So far details about production capacity of the factory and its cost have not yet been divulged.

"Under the agreement, the factory is expected to start operations in August. However some imported machinery had delayed due to Covid-19 that affected some processes in terms of importation,” she said.

Last year, officials from Rwanda Forestry Authority told The New Times that there are seven species of bamboos suitable for the factory that have to be grown.

Over 200 hectares are ready with grown-up bamboos to help kick-start the factory.

Figures from the ministry indicate that the government aims at increasing bamboo cover from 530 hectares in 2018 to 3, 645 hectares in the 2020/2021 to supply the factory, adding that there is a need for 5,000 hectares to fully supply the big factory.

Bamboos of such kind are being planted on river catchments and around the stormwater channels for both environmental protection and supplying raw materials for Made-in-Rwanda products.

Among the bamboo species being considered include bambusa textiles, thyrsostachys siamensis, dentroclamus giganteus, dentroclamus barbaturus, dentroclamus strictus and dentroclamus latiflorus.

Some of the species are also being planted in recreational spaces and gardens such as Nyandungu Ecotourism Park.

Nyandungu bamboo greenhouse in the City of Kigali is one of the nurseries with new species.

The Rwf5 billion Ecotourism Park on 130 hectares was expected to be complete in May this year after it had stalled.

Minister Mujawamariya said last week that engineers are putting final touches to works.