International Journal of Bamboo and Rattan

Unlocking Africa’s Bamboo Value Chain for Sustainable Development

2023-12-28T02:03:19+01:00

Bamboo currently grows almost everywhere on Earth. It falls under the category of grass and holds the title for
being the fastest-growing plant with recorded growth rates of up to 1m/day for some species. It is one of the most versatile plant species possessing both the strength of hardwood and the sustainability of grass. It thrives and grows in a diverse range of climates. Its ancient origin is believed to be China and there are about one thousand five hundred known species.

African countries can unlock the full potential of the bamboo value chain, leading to economic growth, job creation, environmental sustainability, and the empowerment of local communities. To fully benefit from the bamboo boom, the private sector needs to be at the heart of green economy development in order to drive demand and provide investment. Value addition needs to be more innovative if African bamboo is to take the global market by storm.

Proceedings Of The Hybrid Inaugural Congress Of SIBRED

2023-12-27T18:53:00+01:00

One milestone of the Project-200 policy thrust of this university’s administration of Professor Charles Okechukwu Esimone, FAS - the 6th Substantive Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka in Nigeria – is the establishment of the Sahelian
Institute for Bamboo Research and Entrepreneurship Development (SIBRED) as the First University–based Bamboo and Rattan Research Directorate outside the Continent of Asia.

Consequently, Ir. John Agbo Ogbodo of the Department of Forestry and Wildlife in the Faculty of Agriculture is appointed as
SIBRED’s Founding Director.

Accordingly, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka in conjunction with the International Network on Bamboo and Rattan
(INBAR), the Federal Ministry of Environment, Abuja and a NonGovernmental Organization, the Sustainable TransEnvironment
International Foundation (STEi Foundation); inaugurated this first university-based Bamboo Research and Entrepreneurship
Development Institute in Africa on Thursday, 23rd November, 2023 at a hybrid (i.e. online and onsite) event at Awka Window on
America Directorate’s Building which is located directly opposite the Faculty of Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka in Anambra State, Nigeria between the hours of 9:30 AM and 3:30 PM.

Regulations and certification for sustainable bamboo forestry

2024-01-02T21:15:52+01:00

Nowadays, the growing global awareness is that, if we want to grapple with the impacts of climate change, improve water quality, enhance people's livelihoods, and curb the loss of tropical forest biodiversity, taking good care of our forests is of fundamental importance. As the World population is projected to surpass nine billion by 2050, the global pressure on the world’s tropical forests will continue to grow higher. Likewise, the Living Forests Report by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) projects that the annual harvesting of wood from forests could be tripled by the middle of the century to meet increased demand for timber products, paper, and bioenergy.

Bamboo - The Miracle Plant Towards Ensuring Environmental Restoration and Job Creation in Nigeria

2023-12-28T01:51:23+01:00

No doubt, the celebration of World Bamboo Day is of utmost necessity because climate change is one of the biggest dilemmas that the world is facing today. Nowadays, the changes are alarmingly high and the impacts are also strongly felt in Nigeria.

The overall objective of this paper is to persuade the federal and state governments, businesses, and stakeholders on the need to invest in bamboo projects and programmes both, as a nature-based solution resource to improving our environment and to giving our teaming unemployed youths an alternative and better means of livelihood.

PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE AND INCLUSIVE BAMBOO RESEARCH AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN SAHELIAN AFRICA

2023-12-27T18:20:38+01:00

Woody bamboos are wonderful replacement for tropical hardwood trees because of their short growth cycles and a high carbon dioxide exchange rate; they are capable of promoting avoided tropical deforestation. This article aims at analysing the usefulness of bamboo-based landscape restoration programmes, agroforestry systems and appropriate technologies towards improving sustainable food security while at the same time contribute to reclaiming degraded soils, boost bamboo product manufacturing, and supplement animal feeds. The outcomes of this paper would further contribute to improving climate resilience and livelihoods at households and community levels in Central and West Africa.

Logically, the first expected approach is to highlight relevance of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK)-based bamboo research platform known as the Sahelian Institute for Bamboo Research and Entrepreneurship Development (SIBRED), which is established to build capacities and share knowledge on contemporary bamboo related innovations
available within Sahelian Africa Countries and their neighbours.

Using the UNIZIK-based SIBRED as an outreach platform, we hope to strengthen relationships with local communities, government agencies, non-governmental organisations and bamboo value chain investors at both domestic and international levels. Thus contributing to achieving some of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as support the realization of a stronger green industrial growth and entrepreneurship education in Central and West Africa. Therefore, the outcomes from this paper would serve as reference materials that can support the development of policy responses, at regional, national or catchment scale, to existing and emerging environmental related problems using bamboo nature based solution (NBS) through partnership with SIBRED.

Catalyzing clean energy transitions: Advancing SDG7

2024-01-02T21:31:17+01:00

The Sustainable Development Goal, number 7, aims at ensuring access to clean and affordable energy, which is key to the development of agriculture, business, communications, education, healthcare, and transportation. Therefore, Energy is central to the achievement of both the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change. Our desire for advancing SDG 7 would mean proactive actions that can catalyze the achievements of meeting the Paris Agreement on climate change and reach the other SDGs including poverty eradication, gender equality, mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, food security, health, education, sustainable cities and communities, clean water and sanitation, jobs, innovation, and transport. Energy transition refers to the global energy sector's shift from fossil-based systems of energy production and consumption — including oil, natural gas, and coal — to renewable energy sources like wind and solar, as well as lithium-ion batteries.