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Celebrating World Bamboo Day 2022
What is the World Bamboo Day?
The World Bamboo Day
is celebrated on the 18th of September annually. Since it’s launch,
during the 8th World Bamboo Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2009,
this special day is used to commemorate the various benefits offered by bamboo
in terms of sustainability, environment, ecology, science, architecture, art, music,
food, housing, habitat, restoration, aesthetics, economy, utilization amongst
others.
This year the theme of World Bamboo Day 2022 is -
Bamboo for Green Life and Sustainable Development.
According to literature, bamboo is resilient and
adaptable; with immense biodiversity and ecosystem benefits and services. Their
unique characteristics of quick growth, extensive root systems, and pioneer
spirit can reduce erosion, stabilise slopes, absorb heavy metals, create shade,
harbour wildlife, recycle carbon dioxide, and clean the air.
Planting and managing sustainable bamboo forests allows
for multiple social benefits, including rural development (improved housing),
agroforestry products (which includes nutritional food and alternative fibre),
with the big bonus of climate mitigation.
Bamboo uses in Fiji
There are reportedly 20 bamboo species found in Fiji,
of which only one is indigenous; Schizostachyum
glaucifolium, locally known as bitu dina. These exotic
bamboo species was introduced into Fiji in the mid-1800s and have been widely
cultivated and have now become naturalized with Fiji Bamboo. However, a few
species like Bambusa tuldoides, Dendrocalamus
giganteus, and Gigantochloa apus remain
rare and localised and the Ministry of Forestry is researching with key
stakeholders to exploring more about its properties.
In Fiji and many other Pacific Island States, bamboo
is a key part of life and culture and has been used for a range of purposes
including culinary, cutlery, construction, rafts, and fish traps.
Bamboo in Fiji’s Myths and Legends - “Bitu ni Ceva”
Bamboo
is also intertwined in our folklore tales, and one that is quite famous is the sacred
bamboo species known as the “Bitu ni Ceva” that is said to be found on only
Qoma Island. Stories passed down through generations describe how Rokomautu (the
son of Lutunasobasoba- an ancestral god) travelled along the “tua leita” from
Nakauvadra and upon reaching the shores of Qoma decided to rest on the ridge
top of Qoma levu.
In
this tale of the journey across the “tua leita”, Rokomautu had a bamboo stick
which he used as a walking cane. Upon reaching the ridge top, he could not find
rest as he was constantly disturbed by the early settlers. Rokomautu decided to
leave Qoma and head to Verata Ucinivanu and in his haste, he forgot his bamboo
walking stick.
This
bamboo walking stick bore leaves and eventually grew into this sacred bamboo
plant the “bitu ni ceva”. And the myth surrounding it is that if someone
ruffles the bamboo leaves or disturbs the vicinity of the bamboo plant, the
island will face intense southerly winds for eight concurrent days and nights.
Bamboo Research and Development
Research and development on bamboo and rattan in Fiji
started as a project in the late 1970s in Vunidawa, Naitasiri and in Somosomo,
Taveuni with funding from the Government of the People’s Republic of China. This
was small scale with the occasional publication, international collaboration
with China and Indonesia for capacity building as well as joint workshops for
bamboo research and training.
In order to advance into the research and development
of Bamboo and tap into its potential, Fiji became a member of the International
Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR) on
the first of September 2020. INBAR is an intergovernmental developmental
organization that promotes environmentally sustainable development using bamboo
and rattan.
It has 48 member states and has played a strong role
in promoting South-South cooperation in the last 20 years. INBAR’s priorities,
defined under its 2015-2030 Strategic
Action Plan, is to work with countries to support sustainable
development and their green economy action plans.
To do this, INBAR targets its support to countries in
four priority areas;
(1) Policy shaping,
(2) Representation and advocacy,
(3) Knowledge sharing and learning, and
(4) Action research and country support.
Fiji’s commitment to Bamboo Development resulted in
cooperation with INBAR on an international platform where INBAR co-hosted a
side event with the Government of Fiji at the UNFCCC COP23, ‘Bamboo for
Climate Change Action in Small Island Developing States’ which highlighted
the potential of bamboo in Fiji and similar low-lying islands and which are most
vulnerable to the threat of climate change.
The Forestry Research and Development Division
together with the Forest Product, Trade, and Training Unit are currently
researching on preservative treatment, durability and strength testing with the
Fiji National University, as well as collection of cuttings for propagation and
growth studies.
The Ministry of Forestry is also working closely with Pacific
Islands Development Forum, Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport, Disaster
Management & Meteorological Services, Habitat for Humanity Fiji and the Fiji
National University to advance bamboo research and development.
Bamboo resource - distribution and abundance
The late Honorable Minister for Forestry, Mr Osea
Naiqamu stated in Parliament last year that “The Ministry of Forestry in its
2021 National Forest Inventory (NFI) will aim to accurately identify and map
the distribution of bamboo resources across the country”.
Determining a sustainable resource base from where
processing facilities can efficiently and sustainably source bamboo materials
from is essential in sustaining a bamboo industry in Fiji. Currently the
inventory is ongoing and the NFI report will enable Fiji to gauge the
distribution and abundance of the species falling within the sampling plots.
Fiji
Bamboo Association
Fiji’s accession to INBAR not only facilitates bamboo
sector development in Fiji, but also provides new opportunities and impetus for
forestry cooperation between Fiji and INBAR member countries. This includes assessing market opportunities
and constraints, whilst identifying potentials, relations, and linkages of various
stakeholders, including farmers, traders, enterprises, officials, policymakers,
and international research and development agencies, all of which is key to determining the marketing structure of a
prospective bamboo industry in Fiji.
Today, bamboo and rattan are already amongst the world’s
most valuable non-timber forest products with an estimated market value of more
than USD$50
billion or more than FJD$100 billion.
In 2017, the total import and export value of bamboo and
rattan quotas for Fiji amounted to USD$397,925 of which imports occupied over
99 percent.
This suggests that bamboo and rattan have the potential to
contribute more to Fiji’s economic development and the intent is to support
interested persons and communities to effectively develop their resources,
including investments in appropriate technologies.
Realising the full potential of bamboo will move Fiji
closer to achieving its ambitious development, climate and environmental aims
including the Sustainable Development Goals, REDD+ targets, Paris Agreement
commitments and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.