Roadmap for the Philippine bamboo sector : towards mainstreaming bamboo products, improving rural enterprise, and protecting the environment
Professorial Chair Lecture
UPLB Faculty, Staff, and Students Professorial Chair Lecture
Place
Artemio Manza Hall, CFNR Administration Building
Date
3-18-2013
Abstract
The bamboo industry has been identified by the Department of Trade and Industry for inclusion in the road mapping study that will chart the direction of selected industries in the country. The work will result in the crafting of comprehensive industry development strategy that would determine markets, drivers and trends that will enable the industries to "seize opportunities now and in the future." The DTI engaged the private sector to take the lead in the development of the roadmaps which in the case of bamboo, was undertaken by a team composed of members of the Bamboo Network of the Philippines that included the present professorial chair grantee. The present work attempts to consolidate results of the bamboo industry development program coordinated by the chair holder with several other studies such as the supply chain study funded by PCARRD, and the different bamboo value chains conducted in Central Luzon (DTI Region 3) and in Leyte Island and other earlier works carried out on the production to consumption system of bamboo in Abra and the bamboo marketing studies in Isabela and Laguna. Among the relevant findings is that while the supply of bamboo appears adequate for traditional uses, present supply of the material will not be able to meet demand for emerging uses such as for engineered-bamboo and energy generation. The use of bamboo for engineered products that will substitute for wood is driven by the need to ease the pressure on timber trees from the forest, while the fast growth of bamboo makes it suitable as biomass for energy as a means to adapt to climate change and to minimize further forest removals. While government offers a number of incentives for bamboo plantation development, the classification of bamboo as a non-timber forest product (NTFP) imposes restrictions that deter further private investments into broad-scale production of the resource and should thus be addressed by the industry roadmap for the product. Despite headways by China in terms of the global trade for bamboo products, there is room for promoting the Philippine bamboo industry, such as in expanding domestic demand for bamboo products, highlighting the cultural values of bamboo, and capitalizing on the role of bamboo in environmental protection and in addressing climate change. It behooves the academe to undertake more research and to offer instruction programs supportive of the bamboo industry.
Location
UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)
College
College of Forestry and Natural Resources (CFNR)
Language
English
Recommended citation
Razal, Ramon A., "Roadmap for the Philippine bamboo sector : towards mainstreaming bamboo products, improving rural enterprise, and protecting the environment" (2013). Professorial Chair Lecture. 966.
https://www.ukdr.uplb.edu.ph/professorial_lectures/966
