Bamboo farming: innovation and sustainability
For Matthieu Degallaix, a former heating engineer, innovation was a must when he took over his family farm.
A bamboo boom
Matthieu Degallaix firmly believes that bamboo – a plant in the grass family that occurs naturally on all continents except Europe – is the future. “Bamboo shoots are used in the food, cosmetics and medical industries. Since bamboo fibre is 70% cellulose, it’s also used to make clothing, paper and bioplastics. It has other applications in the automotive sector and in construction, to insulate buildings and make structural elements and furnishings.”
Grown locally and sustainably
France is starting to grow bamboo, but Italy is still leading the way in Europe, so it’s no surprise that Italy is where Matthieu found his partner. “My partner is a major player that is involved at the start of the process – growing plants in a nursery – and at the end, when it collects and distributes my crop,” he says.
Although bamboo farming is new in Belgium, Matthieu was attracted to it because of its sustainability. “Bamboo allows us to replace intensive crops with a greener way of farming. For example, bamboo absorbs more CO2 and gives out more oxygen. It also grows more quickly and therefore allows us to respond rapidly to demand, with limited requirements in terms of water and space. The icing on the cake is that bamboo isn’t prone to disease and doesn’t require any phytosanitary treatment.”
Support for a “risky” project
Matthieu planted his first bamboo crop in the spring, but he’s looking five years ahead to the time when his 6,000 bamboo plants have reached maturity and the plot is profitable. “Funding is the main difficulty,” says the young farmer, who was able to rely on the support of BNP Paribas Fortis. “Although I had to sell the idea, my relationship manager listened and the bank agreed to accompany me on this adventure, with funding suited to the needs of this unusual project.”