Climate projects
Connect, Cameroon
Bamboo revalued: in Manjo, Cameroon, farmers turn invasive bamboo overgrowth into stable biochar and work it into their fields, removing carbon while restoring degraded land.
This first-of-its-kind project in Manjo, Cameroon, makes use of a bamboo species that has no recognised use locally. Unlike bamboo grown elsewhere for construction or handicrafts, this species is considered a nuisance: introduced in the 1970s for agricultural support structures, it was later abandoned and spread uncontrollably across farmland. Its fibre is too thin and irregular for industrial or artisanal use, so it accumulates as unmanaged biomass and raises flood risks. Farmers often try to clear it by burning, causing air pollution and soil degradation.
Most farmers in the town now take part in the biochar programme, using the biochar as a fertiliser amendment on their own land. They are trained and supervised by Carbonlog, a regional team of engineers and pyrolysis specialists.
Process
In keeping with ecosystem restoration, no purpose-grown bamboo is used: all feedstock is sourced sustainably, then prepared, dried and turned into biochar in soil Kon-Tiki kilns. Production sites are set up wherever the feedstock is, avoiding transport, and farmers mostly produce as much as they need for their own fields.
Results
The project puts to use bamboo that would otherwise be burnt or discarded. Participating farmers have switched from synthetic fertiliser to making and applying their own biochar compost, an example of how a whole village can improve its livelihoods by turning nearby waste residues into higher farm productivity and additional income. About half of the participants are women.
For project documentation, see the entry on the Global Carbon Registry. You can also visit the Carbon Connect website for more detail.