1. TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY MODEL
BAMBOO CHARCOAL UNITBAMBOO CHARCOAL UNIT
INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR BAMBOO AND RATTANINTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR BAMBOO AND RATTAN

2. Why bamboo?Why bamboo?
• Bamboos grow more rapidly than trees and start to yield within
three or four years of planting.
• Plantation establishment requires minimal capital investment and
builds upon the inherent plant-cultivation skills of local farmers
and foresters.
• Bamboos can be harvested annually and non-destructively.
• Bamboos are excellent for rejuvenating degraded lands and
protecting against soil erosion.
• Bamboos may easily be intercropped with shallow-rooted crops.
• As well as the culms, all other parts of the bamboo plant can be
used in rural livelihoods - shoots for food, leaves for fodder, and
branches for items such as brooms and for firewood.

3. What is a bamboo charcoal unit?
• A bamboo charcoal unit produces
bamboo charcoal. The technology is
simple and easily adoptable by rural
stakeholders. Bamboo charcoal has
a multitude of uses, mostly
purification and detoxification.
• The financial and skills
investment required to establish
such a unit is low, but marketing
is of paramount importance for a
successful business. A suitable
marketing infrastructure is highly
recommended.

4. How do I establish a bamboo charcoal unit?
1. Evaluate the market: 2. Establish a marketing infrastructure: 3. Source funding:
This will determine If necessary use a partner organization Microcredit and
the type of product to provide the skills and finances. bank loans offer
you produce. Good marketing is vital. the best options.
4. Attend training: 5. Prepare the site : 6. Install the kilns
Producing charcoal is An area of 100 m2
Simple brick kilns are
simple but some skills is sufficient plus cheap and effective.
are required. covered storage areas.

5. Main development attributes of a bamboo charcoal unitMain development attributes of a bamboo charcoal unit
• Greater use of bamboo reduces dependence on wood-timber
resources and hence increases environmental protection and
conservation.
• Promotes rehabilitation of degraded forests and other waste
lands through increased areas of bamboo plantations.
• Increases employment opportunities in bamboo growing for
supply of raw materials, in running the unit, and in sales and
marketing.
• Processing is simple and can be done on a very small scale by
individuals with minimal investment and training.
• Creates gender insensitive employment opportunities.

6. Some salient facts
The unit should be market
oriented and market driven
otherwise success will be
unlikely.
The enterprise requires
suitable support services
and infrastructure to be in
place in order to operate
properly.
The main export markets for
bamboo charcoal are in the
far east, particularly Japan
and South Korea.
Photo: Mechanical charcoalising kiln

7. Requirements for success
• Small amount of start-up capital.
• Small area of land for kilns.
• Regular supply of raw bamboos.
• Training of staff in the techniques involved.
• Local infrastructures for transporting raw
materials and finished
products.
• Effective marketing and
product development
system.
Photo: Bamboo sticks
ready for charcoalising

8. For further informationFor further information
See
Publications
2001: Zhang QiSheng (ed). Mechanism and
science of bamboo charcoal and bamboo
vinegar. Published by China Forestry Press
TOTEMs
Homestead bamboo plantation
Medium and large scale bamboo plantations
Community bamboo nursery
Websites
INBAR: www.inbar.int
Contact
• INBAR, Beijing 100102-86,
China
• Nanjing Forestry University,
Nanjing, China (Attention:
Professor Zhang QiSheng)