Realizing the Potential of Bamboo - The Poor Man's Timber

IFAD is financing the development of profitable technologies for smallholders through an international network, bringing together farmers, the research community and the private sector in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The recent establishment of the International Network of Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) marks the culmination of the joint efforts of many developing countries that came together as a formal network under the sponsorship of IFAD and its partner, the Canadian International Development Research Centre.

INBAR is the first intergovernmental organization to be located in China. Over 300 000 small and medium-scale enterprises based on bamboo and rattan are already contributing to the vibrancy of the country’s rural economy. These rural microenterprises employ an enormous labour force, over 60% women. Many of these microenterprises are being supported by IFAD loan-financed projects. Such efforts both address rural poverty and reverse the excessive exploitation of bamboo, rattan and other forest resources.

IFAD supports INBAR in its efforts to:

• accord special attention to addressing the livelihood needs of disadvantaged target groups, including women;
• enhance the role of bamboo and rattan in the protection of the environment, particularly in arresting deforestation, soil erosion and land degradation;
• conserve and expand the biodiversity of bamboo and rattan resources; and
• develop and promote policies to add value to bamboo and rattan products, where that potential exists, through the introduction of labour-efficient post-harvest technologies.

Generating Off-Farm Employment among the Rural Poor

Promoting bamboo construction technologies through training the landless and providing skills to surplus labour in Costa Rica and the United Republic of Tanzania.

Promoting Bamboo as the Timber of the Future

Canopy: a prototype representing technologies using a robust and light construction material.