Abstract: Forest foods are very important for the predominantly rural population surrounding Mt. Elgon National Park, eastern Uganda. The household survey was conducted in Mutushet and Kortek Parishes, Kapchorwa District between June, 2004-October, 2004. Among forest foods, local people consider edible bamboo shoots as the most important product. A study was carried out to explore the opportunities and challenges faced by poor local community in Mutushet village, set up a marketing group to improve its income from edible bamboo products. Initially the group was assisted by a local project with IUCN funding. Women were the key activity implementers. The outcome of the group formation was that village income from selling bamboo shoots increased at least 6 fold. The community has improved its cash income, reduced its debts and reduced its dependency on rain-fed subsistence agriculture. The successful marketing strategy has led to the community showing increased interest in managing its bamboo resources sustainably. The bamboo industry has not received policy support and remains a minor production commodity of no significantly appreciated economic development strategy. Yet evaluations and analysis elsewhere have shown that bamboo and rattan commodities of forest compositions have a high potential of contributing towards local regional development. It is therefore, urged that relevant actions be taken to tap available opportunities such as: articulation of NWTFP, including bamboo in the forest policy and legal actions; creating awareness on potentials of bamboo development and poverty eradication; improving the capacity of bamboo technologies and marketing opportunities; focus on value adding through improved processing of bamboo products and focused development of on-farm bamboo farming for supply of target products.