Africa Plantation Capital sign pact to supply Bidco with bamboo fuel.

Bidco Africa Group Chairman, Dr. Vimal Shah and Africa Plantation Capital CEO Eng. Kosta Kioleoglou display the signed MOU for a photo shoot with the media.

Bidco Africa Group has signed an MOU with Africa Plantation Capital (APC) that will see APC supply the giant consumer goods company with bamboo biomass as a renewable energy source.

The MOU, signed by Africa Plantation Capital CEO, Eng. Kosta Kioleoglou and Dr. Vimal Shah, Chairman of Bidco Africa Group, is aimed at saving thousands of trees every year and protect the ecosystem.

“The most important aspect of this MOU is the devotion of Bidco Africa Group and its people to implement their environmental friendly policy. The group believes in circular economic models and is now willing to make a big step, and a great investment in order to protect the environment using bamboo as a green sustainable energy source. As Africa Plantation Capital, we are honored to be part of this big change,” said Kioleoglou.

Kioleoglou added that he was humbled by Bidco’s choice of Africa Plantation Capital as its bamboo biomass provider, pointing out that his company was ready to take action and work on an extensive out-growers programme in order to secure that not only the two big entities benefitted from this MOU but also the local communities.

“This pact marks yet another great milestone for us and the community as it secures a market for their bamboo biomass production. This is going to save thousands of trees every year and protect the ecosystem,” he noted.

Responding to these remarks, Dr. Vimal said that Bidco currently needed at least two hundred tonnes of dry biomass daily, which is over 60,000 metric tonnes annually, to cover its energy needs for their Thika plant alone.

He noted that bamboo was the ideal green, sustainable and renewable energy source which can be used to replace traditional timber.

“Bamboo has almost the same calorific value but been a grass it is naturally renewable. Bidco’s circular economic model has always included out-growers and farmers and this can be one more opportunity for those who are willing to invest in bamboo,” said Vimal.

Last year, the two organisations established an annual event, “Bamboo Planting Day at Ndakaini Dam”, as part of their 1,000,000 bamboo seedlings initiative.

Both companies said that they are committed to support the 10% forest cover target that was set by the President of Kenya as part of the BIG Four Agenda.

During this year’s event held on June the 26^th, 5,000 bamboo seedlings were planted with the assistance of hundreds of young people and other stakeholders.

The Guest of Honour was the PS Ministry of Environment Hon. Charles Sunkuli, represented by the secretary to the Ministry, Engineer Simitu, who during his speech affirmed the government’s support to this initiative.

The CEC of Nairobi County Government, Minister of Environment, Water & Natural Resources Mr. Larry Wambua, expressed the full support of the County Government to every initiative targeting the dam conservation and the county’s reforestation.

He expressed his gratitude for the planting exercise that was organised by Africa Plantation Capital and Bidco for the second year and wished for the same to be continued with the same pace.