Make money by turning banana fibre into paper 
To Gofrey Atuheire and Doreen Nitusiima, banana fibre served just two purposes; mulching and binding. But today, their perception of this otherwise useless product is different. New technology has turned banana fibre into a raw material for making paper, courtsey of the Uganda Industrial Research In
By John Kasozi
To Gofrey Atuheire and Doreen Nitusiima, banana fibre served just two purposes; mulching and binding. But today, their perception of this otherwise useless product is different. New technology has turned banana fibre into a raw material for making paper, courtsey of the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI).
Atuheire, UIRI’s research technician, says they make shopping bags and cards from banana fibre paper.
Prof. Charles Kwesiga, the executive director, says the transformation of banana fibres into hand-made paper is a viable enterprise.
“The majority of the population (3.8 million households) are engaged in subsistence agriculture. Of these, 934,558 are banana farmers,†he says.
Most times, fibres and leaves that comprise the bulk of the plant are disposed of and left to rot, adding organic matter to the soil. This is a considerable waste of a natural resource, since banana trees auto-replenish and grow fast.
“Commercial utilisation of banana fibres has not significantly taken root in Uganda apart from the process that is being pioneered at the UIRI,†Kwesiga says.
He adds that they had been using rudimentary methods of production, but have acquired better technology.
Kwesiga says several countries, including Japan, Philippines, India, Haiti, Jamaica and South Africa, use banana fibre as a raw material in paper industries.
The paper industry in Uganda currently relies on secondary processing from wood pulp, which encourages environmental degradation.
“The majority of these raw materials are imported, but banana stems and leaves are abundant. They are a cheap and renewable resource for a sustainable paper industry,†he says.
The institute currently processes 10 to 20kg of raw banana fibre into paper per day.
“Ten kilogrammes of processed fibre yield 7,000g of the required material. This can produce 360 pieces of 200g of A3 paper for conversion to at least 300 bags. This translates to a minimum daily income of sh150,000,†he says.
The project was born out of a national initiative to utilise the banana tree as a whole for the production of numerous value-added products.
The initiative was undertaken by the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry, the National Agricultural Research Organisation, Makerere University and the business community.
“A resource for training and technology transfer to the community has been established. It is a chemical-free process and the product is 100% environmentally friendly,†he says.
Atuheire says the process is not expensive, hence affordable for the rural folk.
“I was trained in paper making in India. Orphans and widows there use the same technology to earn a living,†he says.
Atuheire says he has trained students from the faculty of agriculture, Makerere University; faculty of fine art and technology, Kyambogo University and Kigali Institute of Science and Technology on how to make paper from banana fibre.
Once the technology is extended countrywide, Kwesiga says, it will help develop rural communities, especially farmers who grow the crop.
It is estimated that the annual global banana production is 100 million tonnes, while the associated stem wastage is one billion tonnes.
Uganda is the second largest banana producer in the world after India. It produces nine million tonnes of bananas, which translates to 27 million tonnes of banana fibre for potential use per annum.
“The project will create more jobs since several people are required along the value chain,†Kwesiga said.
UIRI’s mandate is to engage in activities that will lead to rapid industrialisation of Uganda by identifying appropriate and affordable technologies. The institute will also enhance value addition to local products so that they can be processed for national, regional and international markets. This is done through research and development and designing of prototypes to train and develop enterprises.
the organisation has outreach programmes in the districts of Busia, Mubende, Masaka, Mukono, Soroti, Kasese, Kumi, Mpigi, Lira, Arua, Mbale, Kayunga, Kampala, Mbarara and Kabale.
To Gofrey Atuheire and Doreen Nitusiima, banana fibre served just two purposes; mulching and binding. But today, their perception of this otherwise useless product is different. New technology has turned banana fibre into a raw material for making paper, courtsey of the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI).
Atuheire, UIRI’s research technician, says they make shopping bags and cards from banana fibre paper.
Prof. Charles Kwesiga, the executive director, says the transformation of banana fibres into hand-made paper is a viable enterprise.
“The majority of the population (3.8 million households) are engaged in subsistence agriculture. Of these, 934,558 are banana farmers,†he says.
Most times, fibres and leaves that comprise the bulk of the plant are disposed of and left to rot, adding organic matter to the soil. This is a considerable waste of a natural resource, since banana trees auto-replenish and grow fast.
“Commercial utilisation of banana fibres has not significantly taken root in Uganda apart from the process that is being pioneered at the UIRI,†Kwesiga says.
He adds that they had been using rudimentary methods of production, but have acquired better technology.
Kwesiga says several countries, including Japan, Philippines, India, Haiti, Jamaica and South Africa, use banana fibre as a raw material in paper industries.
The paper industry in Uganda currently relies on secondary processing from wood pulp, which encourages environmental degradation.
“The majority of these raw materials are imported, but banana stems and leaves are abundant. They are a cheap and renewable resource for a sustainable paper industry,†he says.
The institute currently processes 10 to 20kg of raw banana fibre into paper per day.
“Ten kilogrammes of processed fibre yield 7,000g of the required material. This can produce 360 pieces of 200g of A3 paper for conversion to at least 300 bags. This translates to a minimum daily income of sh150,000,†he says.
The project was born out of a national initiative to utilise the banana tree as a whole for the production of numerous value-added products.
The initiative was undertaken by the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry, the National Agricultural Research Organisation, Makerere University and the business community.
“A resource for training and technology transfer to the community has been established. It is a chemical-free process and the product is 100% environmentally friendly,†he says.
Atuheire says the process is not expensive, hence affordable for the rural folk.
“I was trained in paper making in India. Orphans and widows there use the same technology to earn a living,†he says.
Atuheire says he has trained students from the faculty of agriculture, Makerere University; faculty of fine art and technology, Kyambogo University and Kigali Institute of Science and Technology on how to make paper from banana fibre.
Once the technology is extended countrywide, Kwesiga says, it will help develop rural communities, especially farmers who grow the crop.
It is estimated that the annual global banana production is 100 million tonnes, while the associated stem wastage is one billion tonnes.
Uganda is the second largest banana producer in the world after India. It produces nine million tonnes of bananas, which translates to 27 million tonnes of banana fibre for potential use per annum.
“The project will create more jobs since several people are required along the value chain,†Kwesiga said.
UIRI’s mandate is to engage in activities that will lead to rapid industrialisation of Uganda by identifying appropriate and affordable technologies. The institute will also enhance value addition to local products so that they can be processed for national, regional and international markets. This is done through research and development and designing of prototypes to train and develop enterprises.
the organisation has outreach programmes in the districts of Busia, Mubende, Masaka, Mukono, Soroti, Kasese, Kumi, Mpigi, Lira, Arua, Mbale, Kayunga, Kampala, Mbarara and Kabale.