Uses & Economic Value

Economic Value & Uses

Local uses

Millions of people living in the vicinity of Papyrus swamps depend on Papyrus for their livelihood, Morrison et al., 2011.  Rural inhabitants near swamps in most parts of East and Central Africa harvest papyrus, for personal use or to produce goods to sell.   Goods derived from harvested Papyrus include furniture, mats, baskets and other handcrafts.  It is used in house construction, including brick-making Maclean et al., 2010 and currently and historically for boat production, for example on Lake Chad, Heyerdahl, 1971.  Maclean also highlights the in situ value of Papyrus swamps, in East Africa, heavily exploited as fish farming resources, both as a fish nursery ground and as subsistence fishing, grazing, hunting and a source of fodder, Muthuri, 1992, Terer, 2012.  It supplies food flavouring and medicine in western Kenya, Maclean 2011.   Figure EC1 demonstrates the versatility and value to local communities around Lake Victoria.

Figure EA1, from Morrison et al., 2011, p10, uses of C. papyrus in local communities adjacent to Lake Victoria, Kenya.


The literature on its ethnobotany and the variety of its economic uses, as well as its ecology, is extensive (e.g. Simpson and Inglis, 2001, Hakuno 2005, Parkinson and Quirke 1995, Terer et al., 2012). 

Papyrus

C. papyrus is the source of the writing medium “Papyrus”, upon which much of ancient recorded history resides.  Egyptians began the long history of Papyrus used as paper in about 3,000 B.C., it continued as the only widespread recording medium until the 8th or 9th century A.D. or sooner in Europe, when replaced by fibre based products.  There is a discipline, “papyrology” devoted to the interpretation of antique Papyrus scrolls and the literature is extensive in relation to this immensely important cultural use.  E.g. Parkinson & Quirke, 1995, Wiedeman and Bayer, 1993.

Biofuel

Biofuels are an important form of green energy and Papyrus has been considered as a potentially important source of biofuel in some African countries, such as Rwanda, because of its high productivity and its convenient habit of growing in large, relatively pure species stands.  Muthuri, 1991 reports Papyrus dry matter productivity to be 6kg/m2/year, one of the highest of any African plants, and one of the highest for any natural ecosystem, Morrison ae, 2011.  C. papyrus in pilot scale constructed wetlands in Thailand has been demonstrated to be even more prolific, producing 2590 g dry weight/m2 over a two month period, i.e. 15540 g per annum.  It uses C4 chemistry, which contributes to its productivity, Terer, 2012, Saunders et al., 2007 and others.

Morrison et al., 2011, found that all the participants in their study of local utilisation around Lake Victoria in Kenya used C. papyrus as fuel.  And, that a majority, 69%, used the rhizomes, where 65-77% of the biomass lies, Saunders et al., 2007, because they are more effective for burning, but less sustainable usage.  As in Rwanda, it was known to produce copious smoke and ash. 

Muthuri, 1991 also reports that an attempt was made to commercially exploit peat from C. papyrus swamps as biofuel and in 1914 building of a factory for this purpose was started, but never completed in Sudan on the Nile.  It can be dried and compressed into brickettes, before being burnt (Parkinson and Quirke 1995), Muthuri reports that the compressed brickettes burn with minimal smoke and ash production, he quotes an anonymous source from 1984, however, there is also evidence that it produces unacceptable levels of smoke and ash (Twesigye pers. Comm.  2012).  Commercial peat extraction from C. papyrus dominated bogs is planned in some countries, including Rwanda, where it is expected to be in production by 2017.  This source of energy would make a national scale contribution as a substitute or replacement for wood and coal.    Briquettes are also produced and used in Kenya, on Lake Naivasha, Musango et al., 2012, Morrison et al. 2012.

Papyrus charcoal briquette from Lake Naivasha, Kenya, photographed in London, May 21 2013.

Filtration

Papyrus swamps are known to have the ability to trap sediments, and therefore are useful for filtering out pollutants including heavy metals (Serag 2003, Terer et al., 2012), there is a great deal of active research in this field.  For example, Bergcamp et al., 1998 (not seen), note that C. papyrus is effective in filtering the sewage discharged from Kampala, Uganda resulting in purified water.

A comparison between the water quality characteristics of the input versus output from a small swamp in Kenya indicated significant decreases in the mean temperature and conductivity by 20 and 23%, respectively. Dissolved oxygen was reduced by 85%, ammonium by 77% and orthophosphate by 80%.  These results indicate that Papyrus swamps are efficient in nutrient removal and might be suitable for the purpose of cleaning domestic waste water. Chale, 1985.

Several analyses of heavy metals Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn contained in the plant have shown that C. papyrus plays an important role in metal retention, particularly in its rhizomes.   Secomo et al., 2011, Mays and Edwards 2001; Nabulo et al., 2008).

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith