Gov’t pledges to promote bamboo sector

Government has pledged to promote development of the bamboo and rattan sector due to its enormous socio-economic and environmental potentials for construction, furniture, energy, employment, watershed protection, carbon sequestration, Nii Osah Mills, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources has said.

This sentiment has come at a period when government has given strong commitment to growth of the industry by endorsing use of bamboo ply-boards for woodworks of affordable housing projects. 

With this initiative, there is growing demand for bamboo ply-boards among other products like tooth-picks and skewers, but interestingly the producers of these products are limited -- with just three registered businesses dealing in their production and processing. 

Competition in the industry is low, and as an emerging market it serves as a great business opportunity to produce and process bamboo. 

For entrepreneurs seeking profitable and sustainable ventures to invest in, the bamboo industry provides a great opportunity as its usage and processing is gaining larger markets domestically in the sub-region and beyond as it is expected to serve as an alternative to timber through technology.

Minister Osah Mills, speaking at a handing over and inauguration ceremony of the Bamboo, Cane and Rattan Craft Village at Ayi-Mensah in the Ga East Municipality said: “Ghana was respected in the sub-region as a country that has seen the potential of bamboo and rattan as an alternative to reducing pressure on its natural forest and its contribution to national development.”

The village, established with an estimated cost of over US$5,000, has changing rooms, a restaurant, washrooms, and work area among others.

The facility was provided by the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) through the facilitation of the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources for artisans who were affected when the N1 H1 highway was constructed.

The facility has come at a time when government, through the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, is making efforts aimed at decongesting the city of Accra.

“Apart from the decongesting exercise, there are situations where the artisans are being ejected by private land owners and organisation squatting on their premises. With the provision of this facility, the artisans are guaranteed a permanent work place, and this should be applauded by all.”

The minister explained that with the provision of the facility, artisans are guaranteed a permanent workplace.

He said the ministry, through its Bamboo and Rattan Development Programme (BARADEP), will continue to have an oversight responsibility for promoting the industry and will ensure that the facility is used for its intended purpose.

“The facility, when well patronised, will one day emerge as a 'One-stop-destination' for bamboo, cane and rattan products in the country and the sub-region,” he said.

Nii Mills appealed to the beneficiaries to immediately move from the city centre to occupy the village, as there are plans by the ministry to promote the products, and thanked MiDA for taking the initiative in providing the facility.

Professor Sefa Dede, Board Chairman of MiDA, said the Authority is expecting the ministry to facilitate the movement of all artisans to occupy the village to make good use of the facility.

Mr. Samuel Afari-Dartey, Executive Secretary of the Forestry Commission, said bamboo and rattan constitute the largest part of the timber industry and could potentially serve as a substitute for the decreasing timber industry.

He said the Commission has acquired additional plots of land for future expansion of the village, and called on the artisans to desist from erecting illegal structures in the village.

In Ghana, bamboo is a sustainable plant that grows quite quickly -- up to four feet per day -- and is able to grow well in soil of poor quality. Some of the largest varieties of bamboo can grow to have a diameter of 13 inches and a height of 120 feet within three years.

Its processing in the country is essentially a low input labour intensive system, characterised by the extraction of raw bamboo from the natural forest, processing the bamboo at urban and rural levels into different products, and sale of products mainly in domestic urban and rural markets. 

Some small quantities of the products are also exported to Europe and neighbouring countries in the West African sub-region like Cote D’ Ivoire.

The total export value of industrialised bamboo products in 2012 reached US$538.5million, which accounted for 29% of world exports of bamboo and rattan products. 

Bamboo flooring valued at US$366.4million took 68% of the exports for industrialised bamboo products, followed by bamboo plywood with a total export value of US$114.6million (21%). 

The export value of bamboo charcoal, bamboo paper-based articles and bamboo pulp was relatively small, collectively about US$57million. 

The trade value of industrialised bamboo products has been unstable -- having peaked at the highest record in 2007 and 2008 then declined to a lower level, but it has slowly picked up again. 

The proportion of bamboo flooring traded has been growing annually, while that of bamboo plywood decreased in the past few years. Most bamboo commodity trade occurs within Asia, Europe and North America.