By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal said promotion of bamboo is an important value chain in combating climate change.
Lawal made the disclosure at this year’s world bamboo day with the theme”Environmental restoration and job creation”yesterday in Abuja.
He said the commemoration provides the opportunity to recognize the incredible potential and significance of this remarkable plants in our life .
He said in keeping with the Renewed Hope Agendaof the present Administration, the ministry among other areas, is focusing on the development of Bamboo and Rattan Sector in Nigeria, in a quest to increase forests and ecosystems conservation, enhance livelihoods, access to markets and value chain development.
He reiterated that”We have continued to increase collaborations with local and international partners including the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR)”.
He noted that “Our membership and collaboration with INBAR has been of tremendous benefits to the country particularly in the areas of training and capacity building.
“Others are support centre development and promotion of the bamboo value chain in combating climate change and contributing to social wellbeing and national economic development”, he said.
He explained that Bamboo plays a crucial role in combating climate change. Its ability to sequester carbon dioxide and release oxygen surpasses that of many other plant species.
“Not only does it contribute to the preservation of our environment, it also offers opportunities for economic growth and poverty alleviation. Its diverse applications in all different sectors of the economy make it a valuable resource for job creation and income generation”. He stated that building on the outcome of COP28, the Ministry is taking a significant step towards a greener and more sustainable future for Nigerians partly by promoting bamboo cultivation and utilization.
The minister stated that, the first Bamboo Processing Factory is being established in Karara, Kogi state with the objective to bolster local content development in the production of bamboo toothpicks and other products in the short and long terms.
“The Ministry is encouraging the establishment of improved seedling nurseries as a strategic means of sustaining this innovation”.
Lawal emphasized that “As part of the measures to achieve effective regulation in wood trade as well as reducing the pressure on forest trees, the Ministry is exploring the option of diversifying forestry sector through bamboo development which will in turn shift attention from the use of trees to bamboo.
“With shorter gestation period, bamboo boasts of shared and greater environmental and socio-economic potential including for construction and as industrial raw materials”.
According to him,”We are conscious of the fact that, the federal government cannot achieve this vision without the usual support and collaboration of the State Government. “We count on the support of the state governments especially bamboo producing states to make land available for the establishment of bamboo plantations for the multiple and mutual benefits of degraded land restoration and sustaining availability of raw materials for the existing and the potential bamboo based industries across the country”, he said .
Similarly, Kogi state governor Yahaya Bello said ,Kogi state is the highest producer of bamboo and that is why the factory was located there.
Bello represented by Kogi state Commissioner of Environment, Hon. (Chief) Victor Adewale Omofaiye, said bamboo is a major source of reducing emissions, bamboo grass will also reduce land degradation and will also add value to the economy.
Also, China General Chamber of Chamber in Nigeria, Gene Zhang, maintained that, the chamber is very ready to work with Nigeria government to improve on bamboo development.
Zhang said China is country with an industrialize chain of bamboo. With their experiences bamboo china can shared and introduce its experience in Nigeria.
Meanwhile ,Director Department of forestry , Mrs Hajara Sami,said bamboo will help in addressing environmental issues in the country .
She said “With bamboo we can create massive jobs . Bamboo can produce over 1000 products and instead of cutting down trees and having deforestation every where. We want everyone to start using bamboo tree, grass because of its benefits and it does not required much attention”.
Sami said the ministry is developing a policy note that will be presented to the national council of environmental ( NCE) to develop a road map to have policy on bamboo for federal and state level .
