Project Description

The Bamboo – Masaka 1 project is a large-scale land-based carbon removal project covering 190.94 hectares in Buyaga Village, Masaka District, Uganda. The project establishes a bamboo system designed to store carbon in above-ground biomass, below-ground root and rhizome networks, and soil organic carbon. Over its 20-year project period, the system is expected to remove more than 100,000 tonnes of CO₂e, making it one of the most significant bamboo-based carbon removal projects in the region.

About the Remover

Bamboe Boeren B.V. (Netherlands) develops bamboo-based carbon removal initiatives in collaboration with Ugandan land users. The Masaka 1 site is operated under a rental arrangement with community members, ensuring equitable sharing of benefits. The organization is represented by Nick Kerssens and Peter Poelman.

Scope

In scope:

Above-Ground Biomass (bamboo culms, fruit trees, shrubs)
Below-Ground Biomass (roots and rhizomes)
Soil Organic Carbon

Out of scope:

Harvested products
Construction-stored carbon

Baseline data was established using ESA Sentinel datasets (2020) and CDM AR-ACM0003 methodology.

Additionality & Permanence

Additionality: Bamboo afforestation is not included in Uganda’s NDCs or government afforestation programs. Removals are therefore additional, and baseline carbon stocks were conservatively included.
Permanence: The project has a 20-year duty of care and an expected storage duration of 100 years. Bamboo systems enhance long-lived soil carbon (humic and fulvic acids) that persist for decades to centuries. Ugandan law and national forestry policies further safeguard against carbon loss.

Co-benefits

Biodiversity: The bamboo system is complemented with fruit trees and other planted species, alongside intercropped crops. This increases habitat diversity, supports fauna (e.g. insects, birds, soil fauna), and strengthens landscape resilience.
Soil & Water: Bamboo roots stabilize the soil, reduce erosion, and increase infiltration and water retention.
Community: Intercropping with local food crops provides food and livelihood opportunities. Bamboo and fruit trees contribute additional economic value for smallholders.
Resilience: The project restores degraded land and improves climate adaptation capacity in the Lake Albertine agro-ecological zone.

Masaka 1 - Bamboo

Total

Available

Holding