Barbarugo
Applying the Natural Capital Protocol: Restoring Ecosystems in Northern Ghana
 Desertification due to climate change and human activities is rapidly increasing in
northern Ghana.
 This has devastating effects on the soil and worsens climate conditions.
 The socio-economic situation of communities depending on this exposed land is
becoming more difficult every day.
 Barbarugo develops and maintains bamboo plantations that restore degraded land, and
generate an income for local communities.
1. Introduction
Desertification poses an enormous threat to ecosystems and the animals, plants, and communities depending on it.
Globally, more than 250 million people are directly affected by desertification and about a billion people are at indirect
risk. In the west African country Ghana, an estimated 35% of the total land mass has already been turned into (semi)desert land and the rate of desertification under current conditions is increasing every year1. The main drivers of
desertification in Ghana are deforestation, bush fires, overgrazing, and the creation of new farm land2. This is worsened
by erratic rainfall due to climate change. Consequently, more and more land turns into desert which imposes a
tremendous stress on the ecosystem and communities depending on it.
As 88% of households’ livelihoods in Northern Ghana rely on the degraded lands for crop production, desertification is a
serious human threat leading to larger poverty levels, water scarcity, health issues, and increasing food insecurity3. As a
consequence, desertification is very likely to increase migration and other social conflicts in northern Ghana. The costs
and consequences of inaction in Africa with respect to desertification are hence increasing every day (ELD, 2015b), and
the need for solutions that are ecologically effective and economically feasible, is high.
2.
Barbarugo’s Solution
1
ECOSOC, (2007). Africa Review Report on Drought and Desertification.
UNCDD, (2002). National Action Programme to Combat Drought and Desertification.
3 https://www.wfp.org/stories/10-facts-about-hunger-ghana
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Through the development of bamboo plantations, the Dutch NGO Barbarugo provides a cost-effective solution to
desertification and the related issues in Ghana. Bamboo is a plant that grows well on poor, degraded soils. It quickly
develops an extensive root system that binds the soil, prevents erosion, supports water infiltration and creates a vast
amount of organic material that fosters the re-fertilization of the soil4. Once planted, harvested culms are automatically
replaced by new shoots that develop from the underground rhizome system5, making replantation unnecessary.
Furthermore, well-managed bamboo plantations have the potential to sequestrate 35% more carbon than hardwood
trees6, making it an effective solution for high levels of carbon in the global atmosphere. Bamboo has therefore proven
its worldwide success as a crop with a high potential to restore landscapes7, see also figure 1.
Figure 1: Opportunities of bamboo to restore landscapes and ecosystems (Wikimedia Commons)
The countries where wide scale forest- and landscape
likely to have a positive impact…
plant.
… overlap perfectly with the areas where bamboo is a native restoration projects are
From an economic perspective, bamboo provides a sustainable income for both the rural communities involved in the
harvesting of the bamboo, as for local suppliers using the bamboo for further applications. The bamboo plant yields
extremely strong, light and flexible culms that can be harvested within 6 years and which can be used in i.e. the
construction, furniture and pharmaceutical industry. Moreover, the vast amounts of biomass that are generated within
in a short time, can be used as an alternative for fuelwood for i.e. cooking in rural areas. This can be a sustainable
alternative for the fuelwood and charcoal industry that are one of the main drivers behind deforestation in northern
Ghana.
Barbarugo is involved in the whole process of nursing, planting and maintaining the bamboo on its plantations. In its
nursery, Barbarugo grows different species of bamboo so that it matches the different climatological conditions of the
various locations where Barbarugo is operating.
At all its locations, Barbarugo works in close collaboration with the local communities that are informed and trained to
learn more about maintaining the bamboo plantations.
3.
Natural Capital Assessment: providing the ecological business case
Once planted, bamboo can restore already within one year some essential ecosystem services. Due to its vigorous
growth rate, bamboo can develop already within two years a vegetation level that prevents rain from evaporating and
within 5-6 years the vegetation coverage can reach 100%. Its culms bend in high winds but usually do not break, thereby
4
Zhi et al., (2005). Ecological functions of bamboo forests: research and applications.
NL Agency, (2013). Analyzing the potential of bamboo feedstock for the biobased economy.
6 Lin & Lin,. (2013). Comparison of carbon sequestration potential in agricultural afforestation farming systems.
7 FAO, (2015). Forest and Landscape Restoration. Vol. 66.
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providing shelter and stabilizing soil formation. Through the adoption of the Natural Capital Protocol, the restored
ecosystem services can be valued, as well as an estimation of the future income for communities can be made.
CLIMATE
 Bamboo plants have great carbon uptake potential, even compared to hardwood trees. Planting bamboo is
hence a very effective solution for high levels of C02 in the atmosphere.
 The bamboo species that are being used by Barbarugo (i.e. Bambusa Balcooa, Guadua Angustifolia, Bambusa
Blumeana) have a carbon sequestration potential of 92 ton/ha of which 60 ton of the uptake is in the
aboveground biomass (65%), and 32 tons is stored in the soil (35%). See also Appendix.
ECONOMY & SOCIETY
 The global bamboo market is now valued at around $60 billion8 and is rapidly increasing. Within 6-8 years
bamboo culms can be harvested for among others the construction and biomass industry. Bamboo is a major
construction material for houses in rural areas where it can be used to make among others beams, floors and
roofs. Furthermore, bamboo culms can be used to produce furniture, textile, food, pharmaceutical applications,
and even bikes9. Each year an average of 36 ton/ha dry mass can be harvested. With the current market price
for composite material being estimated at $0,17/kg, one hectare of bamboo can generate an income of $6120
per year.
 Bamboo plantations are rather labour-intensive and therefore create jobs for both the communities involved in
maintenance and harvesting the bamboo, as for the people in the local supply chain of bamboo.
SOIL


Bamboo’s root and rhizome structure extend primarily horizontally and are therefore for around 80% present in
the 0-30cm topsoil layer. Consequently, a single bamboo plant can already bind up to 6 m3 soil. Even on steep
slopes and relief landscapes, bamboo is an excellent solution to prevent soil erosion10.
Most bamboo species drop leaves year round, providing the soil with nutrients such as calcium and magnesium.
The planting of bamboo thus re-fertilizes the soil and makes the earth more porous, so that roots can better
grow.
WATER MANAGEMENT
 The roots of bamboo create macropores in the soil, which allow water to infiltrate better and reduce the direct
runoff. Rainfall is better retained and groundwater reserves can be better replenished11. In the long term, revegetation of the area can alter rainfall patterns which can kick-start the ecosystem restoration.
 It is estimated that one hectare of bamboo can store over 30,000 liters of water in its culms (during the wet
season) which it can gradually return to the soil in the dry season12.
BIODIVERSITY
8
http://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/april-2016/bamboo-africa%E2%80%99s-untapped-potential
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/may/05/ghana-environment-bamboo-bicycles-seed-award
10 Zhi et al., (2005). Ecological functions of bamboo forests: research and applications.
11 Dingman, S. Lawrene (2005). Physical Hydrology, 2nd edition. Waveland Press: Long Grove, Illinois
12 http://www.guaduabamboo.com/guadua/environmental-impact-of-guadua-bamboo
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
4% of Africa’s forest coverage contains of bamboo forest. Restoration of this bamboo ecosystem, will improve
the habitat conditions for species that depend on the bamboo for food, shadow, shelter and protection.
An invitation to impact investors
Bamboo plantations help to restore the vital ecosystems in northern Ghana and generate a sustainable income for the
communities that currently depend on the harmful activities that are degrading the land each day. Investors that
embark on the cooperation with, will have therefore a serious impact on both the healing of degraded lands, as on the
futures of vulnerable Barbarugo communities.
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Appendix: Calculating the Carbon Sequestration Potential
Carbon uptake potential of bamboo
There has been little published information available to support the climate effectiveness claims of bamboo (INBAR,
2009b; Dhruba, 2008; Nath et. al., 2009; Sultana, 2009; Anon, 2006, Uchimura, 1978, Suzuki, 1989, Christanty et al.,
1996, Isagi et al., 1997,Shanmughavel and Francis, 1996, Singh and Singh, 1999, Kumar et al., 2005, Embaye et al.,
2005 and Singh and Kochhar, 2005). However, many scientists raised a high expectation of climate effectiveness of
bamboos (Henley and Lou, 2009, Wodempka. 2007; Lobovikov et al., 2009; Lou et al., 2009; INBAR media release, 2010;
Janssen and Lou, 2010, Dewar, 1990; INBAR, 2009a, Kleinhenz and Midmore, 2001), especially when the harvestted
culms are used as durable products (Nath et al., 2009), although their limitations in climate change mitigation was also
reported (Duking et al, 2011) because of their short life span and co2 flux due to respiratory cost. We know that all
bamboo species are fast growing (Lobovikov et al., 2009; Hunter and Wu, 2002), have high annual regrowth after
harvesting and have high net primary productivity (Sohel et al., 2015). We also know that biomass carbon stock and
sequestration rate in woody bamboos are quite comparable with those in agroforestry and forest ecosystems (Nath et
al., 2015).
Conclusion: bamboo can significantly sequestrate carbon.
The average carbon content of above ground biomass is on average 50% (IPCC, 2007). Research by Allen et al. (1986)
estimated 54%.
Conclusion: Biomass and carbon have a strong relation.
Other research indicates that the probability of observing aboveground biomass of less than 150 ton per hectare is
about 90% for bamboo species (Poor man's carbon). So we can safely state that our aboveground biomass is less than
150 ton. When we use the IPCC estimates for carbon, we can also assume that above ground carbon storage will be not
more than 75 ton per hectare.
Conclusion: Above ground Carbon < 75 ton/ha.
According to research the median biomass of bamboos is 87 ton/ha, of tree species is 105 ton/ha (Poor man’s carbon).
When we calculate with this figures, the carbon in aboveground biomass will be 44 ton/hectare.
Conclusion: Above ground Carbon = +- 44 ton/ha.
Next to this, we know that mean carbon storage in above and below-ground biomass of forest plantations in low-dry
latitudes at 62 ton/hectare and 80 ton per hectare in low-moist latitudes (Winjum et al., 1997). Ghana is situatied in low
latitude.
Conclusion: Barbarugo carbon uptake estimate can be less than purely conservative.
We take a look at the species that grow at Barbarugo and see what kind of data is available for these species. This is
explained in table 1:
Table 1
for
Species
Bambusa Balcooa
Guadua
Angustifolia
Guadua
Angustifolia
Bambusa Blumeana
Bambusa Bamboos
Location
India
Aboveground
Biomass
biomass
Climate
stock (ton) carbon
Source
Tropical Sympodial
121
61 Nath et al., 2009
Bolivia
Tropical Sympodial
200
100 Quiroga et al., 2013
Colombia Tropical
Phillipines
Sympodial
India
Tropical Sympodial
143
242
54 INBAR, 2009c
72 Uchimura, 1978
121 Kumar et al., 2005
The average aboveground biomass carbon uptake of these species is 81 ton /ha.
Conclusion: when looked at the specific species that are worked with at Barbarugo, the average uptake aboveground
of carbon can be estimated at 81 ton /ha
Conclusion I
Considering all the above conclusions, based on this rather small research, I think it is safe to estimate aboveground
carbon uptake potential of Barbarugo’s bamboo in Ghana at 60 ton/ha.
Next to above ground biomass for increasing carbon sequestration, soil seems to be the only place to store carbon in
the long term because trees and understory vegetation will ultimately die and then decompose, releasing CO 2 back into
the atmosphere (Noormets et al. 2012 ). The storage of carbon in forests worldwide is divided to 44 % in the soils, 42 %
in live biomass, and 8 % in deadwood (Pan et al. 2011 ). However, these proportions vary greatly among ecosystem
types, climates, disturbance histories, land-use histories, management types, and soils (McKinley et al. 2011). Globally,
tropical forests store 56% in biomass and 32 % of carbon in soil, whereas boreal forests store 20% in biomass and 60 %
in soil (Pan et al. 2011 ). Research by Chen suggests that temperate forests store approximately 50 % of their carbon as
aboveground biomass and 50 % as belowground biomass, although he also states this estimate to be imprecise. We can
see significant differences exist, however we can make small conclusions as we also know that biomass carbon stock
and sequestration rate in woody bamboos are quite comparable with those in agroforestry and forest ecosystems (Nath
et al., 2015).
Conclusion: carbon uptake in soil is not less than 32%, in biomass not less than 20%. Average uptake in soil is 44%,
above ground is 50%.
Research by Sohel (2015) on bamboo, estimated that 65% of carbon uptake is in the aboveground biomass, 35% in the
soil (including below ground biomass).
Conclusion: carbon uptake in soil is 35%, in aboveground biomass this is 65%
Overall conclusion: Total carbon uptake of Barbarugo bamboo is 92 ton/ha, of which 60 ton of uptake is in the
aboveground biomass, 32 tons is stored in the soil. It is safe to estimate that for Barbarugo’s bamboo the carbon
uptake of the aboveground biomass is 65% and that soil carbon uptake is 35%.
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Costs (red) and benefits (blue) diagram
Barbarugo
augustus 2016
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