TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BAMBOO … · In Ghana, bamboo and rattan resources constitute the two largest non-timber forest products. (}hana's forest resources continue

Sustainable Development ofthe Bambo Industry in Ghana B.D. Obiri and A.A. Oteng-Amoako

TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BAMBOOINDUSTRY IN GHANA

B. Darko Obiri and A. A. Oteng-Amoako

Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, Po. Box 63, KNUST Kumasi, Ghana

ABSTRACT

The potential role of bamboo is underscored in Ghana. This paper aims at highlighting the potential forsustainable use of bamboo in national development in Ghana. Information on sources, potential andperceived uses of bamboo as well as constraints in the bamboo sector were obtained through structuredquestionnaire and semi-structured interviews from locations spreading across all major ecological zonesof Ghana. Results indicate availability of bamboo on community landsJarmlandsJallow fields andforestreserves and that its economic use is more pronounced in the Southern part of the country. Key challengesfacing the bamboo industry that need consideration for its effective development revolve around the needfor improvedfast growing quality bamboo resources and development of effective sustainable managementand harvesting techniques in natural stands. Efficient processing and preservation techniques are alsomajor areas of concern as well as product development and promotion. To improve the bamboo sector andensure its competitiveness as an alternative source of wood and a sustainable enterprise, a comprehensivepolicy is required to put in place relevant interventions. Key interventions must include regulations for

extraction of bamboo and supportfor relevant research institutions to improve resource quality and quantityas well as product quality. The capacity of large and small scale entrepreneurs must be enhanced forimproved value addition and marketing of products.

Keywords: Bamboo sector development, bamboo production-to-consumption systems, non-timberforest products

INTRODUCTION

Bamboo has an enormous potential for alleviatingmany ofthe social and environmental problems ofthe developing world today (Quintans, 1998). Theglobal market potential for bamboo is estimated atmore than $2 billion annually (ENS, 2004). It is aversatile, fast growing and renewable resource withover thousand non-timber and timber uses. Bamboohas been used for a variety of purposes includingenvironmental restoration and in the production ofhandicrafts, artefacts and furniture. Bamboo-ply,

Ghana Journal of Forestry, Vol. 21 & 22, 2007

laminated boards, flooring, roofing sheets, propsand many others, have been key wood substitutesof bamboo in the construction industry world-wide.Other vital products such as medicines, food,charcoal, vinegar, beverages, natural pesticides, andtoiletries, among many others have been producedfrom bamboo (Hammond, 2006). Indeed bambooresources if properly harnessed in West Africa andGhana can provide alternative viable livelihoodenterprises for large, medium and small scaleentrepreneurs including the rural poor.

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Sustainable Development of the Bambo Industry in Ghana B.D. Obiri and A.A. Oteng-Amoako

In Ghana, bamboo and rattan resources constitutethe two largest non-timber forest products. (}hana'sforest resources continue to deplete at an alarmingrate (GNA, 20(5). The rate of deforestation in thecountry is estimated at 3'};, per annum (Appiah etal .. 2(07). Although the government of Ghanarecognizes the potential of bamboo to supplementeconomic timber species to fill an annual wooddemand deficit of about 3 million cubic meters, thispotential has rarely been tapped and the resource islargely lmderutilized. Its commercial importanceand industrial application are unpopular althoughthere are a number of general uses particularly atthe rural level, and commercial processing hasrecently begun. Furthermore, the bamboo sectorlackssubstantive basic information on the problemsand opportunities to enable implementation ofappropriate interventions for efficient utilization oftheresource to enhance the sector. A study analysedthe bamboo economy of Ghana mainly tounderstand its production-to-consumption system(PCS) and identify constraints and opportunities forits enhancement (Obiri et al., 2006). This paperhighlights the challenges facing the bambooindustry in Ghana identified during the PCS studyand suggests measures that need to be addressedfor its sustainable development.

METHODS

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework used for the study wasthe Production-to-Consumption Systems (PCS)approach which essentially entails a description andanalysis of the entire chain of activities from

production of raw material through various stagesof intermediate sales and processing, to theconsumer of the final product. The "systems"include the technologies used to process the material


as well as the social, political and economicenvironment in which these processes operate.Essentially, an analysis of the PCS enablesidentification of all the constraints limiting bamboomanagement and use, and highlights opportunitiesthat, if taken, would promote bamboo-baseddevelopment. Development and research programscan then be planned which utilize and develop theopportunities whilst circumventing, or eveneliminating, the constraints (Belcher, 1995).

Study Sites

The bamboo PCS ,study covered six majorecological zones of the country (wet and moistevergreen, deciduous, transitional and the guineaand coastal savannah zones) spreading over nineadministrative regions namely, Northern, UpperEast, Upper West, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, GreaterAccra, Eastern, Central and Western Regions(Figure I). This was to enable a comprehensiveknowledge on the availability, distribution, speciestypes and utilization of bamboo in the variousecological zones to be generated.

Biophysical Features of Study Sites

Mean annual temperatures range nom 26.10 C inplaces near the coast (south) to 28.90 C in theextreme north. Rainfall distribution is bimodal in

the coastal savannah, transition, deciduous, moistand wet evergreen forest zones. The mean annualrainfall ranges from 800 mm in the coastal zone to2,200 mm in the wet evergreen forest zone. In thenorthern guinea savannah zone, the rainfalldistribution pattern is unimodal. Mean annualrainfall in this zone ranges from 700 - ]200 mm.Bamboo resources are more predominant in theforest zones with larger concentrations in the wetand moist evergreen zones.

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_ Sudan Sa'olanna

[>::1 Guina::l Sa'olallnam Forest Sa'olanll? Transition

[±]Moist Semi-deciduous

W Wet & Moist Evergreen

[§] Coastal S3w<ln na

Figurc 1: Ecological map of Ghana showing study regions

Ghana Journal a/Forestry, Va/. 21 & 22, 2007

Sustainable Development of the Bambo Industry in Ghana

Raw materials TranslormationPrimary processing Seconda.ry processlngl

B.D. Obiri and A.A. Oteng-Amoako

Marketing/consumption

SortingCros s cutting Framing

Splitting Urban userr---- Dc-nodingWeavingExportCwvingIndustrial Cleaning1------+

~processors Chemical treatment

DryingFurnitureFurniture companiesG luinglbonding tIAnifacts

Building industryPlanening HandicraftsExport-Ply bamboo

Natural UrbanCross cutting -Flooring..o;small scale CleaningFraming-Ceiling panelsWeaving

ExtractionprocessorDe-noding

curvtChemical ~atment

.1 Urban user

-Community lands DryingPunU'tUreArtifacts Foreigners-Fallow fields Rural-Cross cuttingHandicrafts

--tosmall scale--Splilling

-Farm lands processor-Peeling

WeavingUrban us"r-Scrapping/flaking StiffeningForeigners-Forest reserves -DryingPattern cuttingGene..-I u.ses -SandingLining-Props -ColoringSewingRural households·TV poles

Bendi!",

-Fencing -Goal posts Rural builders-- -Drying lines Native sandals,---.-Fisher folks-Sheds

l..adies & men's bags-Benches --Rural merchantCaps-Pluck.ing stick -Cross cuttingFiles

}-Urban culm tradersl-Road signs -SplittingBo"", & arrowsUrban builders

-Roof binders-De-nodingBasketry-Walking stick Mat

T

-Pish trapsI

Lazy chairs-Fishing rafters

Figure 2: The bamboo production-to-consumption system of Ghana. (Source: Survey data, 2004)

Ghana Journal of Forest/y, Vol. 20 & 21, 2009 17


traders as well as formal institutions in research

and development. Bamboo processors form themajority of the primary respondents interviewed(Figure 3). Generally, males dominate the sector,comprising 94% of respondents interviewed. Thefemales are mainly involved in selling unprocessedbamboo culms in southern Ghana.

In Northern Ghana, the resource is found in limited

locations and in small clumps of 1-4 clusters ownedby individuals on farmlands and homesteads. Insouthern Ghana the resource is relatively inabundance, found on community lands, farm fallowfields belonging to individuals and/or families andin forest reserves. A higher proportion (65%) ofl

the collectors harvest bamboo from community:lands (Figure 4).

Data Collection and Analysis

Structured questionnaire and informal interviewswere employed in gathering data from resourceowners, collectors (harvesters), processors andtraders in the bamboo sector. Literature search also

generated information on various institutions inbamboo sector research and development in thecountry. A total of 160 respondents wereinterviewed across the ecological zones.Respondents were non-purposively selected. Datacollected covered respondent characteristics,resource availability. ownership. access,establishment, harvesting, management and speciestypes, processing techniques, products, uses andmarketing of products. Problems/constraints in thesector and possible solutions as well as costs andrevenues in harvesting, processing and marketingwere also gathered. The data collected was ana lysedwith Microsoft excel by descriptive statistics.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The Bamboo Production to ConsumptionSystem of Ghana

Traders

19%

Resource

owners

13%

Processors

40%

Collectors

28%

In Ghana bamboo is extracted from natural sources

mainly from community lands, farmlands and fromforest reserves. The raw or unprocessed culms areeither sold as props for construction or used directlyby rural households, or may be processed by fewlarge and numerous small scale processors into avariety of products mainly for sale on rural andurban markets and for household consumption(Figure 2).

The People and the ResourceCharacteristics of Respondents

Five main categories of actors were identified inthe pes of the bamboo sector in Ghana. These are

resource owners, collectors/harvesters, processors,

Ghana Journal of Forestry, Vol. 2 J & 22, 2007

Figure 3: Primary respondents interviewed

70% 1

60%

" 50%o

] 40%

8 30%;f!.

200A

10%

0"10

Fallow Community Family land Forest reservefarmland land

Source

Figure 4: Bamboo collection sources in South(Ghana


Access to Bamboo for Harvesting

Access to the bamboo resource for household and

commercial purposes by non-owners in most easesattracts a fee ranging from GH¢5 to GH¢ 10 or moreon community and private lands for 100 pieces ofculms in the south. In the forest reserve a permit isissued for GH¢10 for a months' collection duringwhieh about 100 to 150 head loads of culms are

harvested. In the north GH¢ 0.10 - 0.50 may bepaid per culm.

Management, Techniques and Frequency ofHarvesting

Bamboo regencratcs naturally in all areas surveyedin both northern and southern Ghana and the

resource is largely unmanaged. No regularharvesting techniques are applied in harvestingculms. Desirable matured culms are identified bycolour (yellowish brown) or thickness of the culmand indiscriminately harvested (especially in thesouth) usually with a cutlass or machete.

In the Guinea and Sudan Savanna zones in the north

of the country, harvesting of the culms is often donein the dry season for off-season processing and alsoto enhance regeneration during the wet season. Inthe South of the country however, commercialharvesting is done all year round predominantlyfrom the deciduous, moist and wet evergreen forestzones covering Ashanti, Eastern and WesternRcgions. This is because the resource is readilyavailable and the demand for culms is higher in thiszone. 80% of the collectors interviewed supplyclients throughout thc ycar. Although the evergreen

Chana Journal of Forestry, Vol. 21 & 22, 2007

forests in the Wcstern Region have the largest stocksof bamboo in the country, 60% of the commcrcialcollectors interviewed in the south obtaincd their

stocks from the Eastern Region in the deciduousforest zone (Figure 5). These supply the culms toprocessors and unprocessed culm traders in Accrawhere the culm is in greatest demand.

Bamboo Species Harvested

Two main species of bamboo were identified innatural stands. Oxynanteria abbyssinica, theindigenous species, is found in the north withsmaller culm sizes. Bambusa vulgaris is thepredominant bamboo species in southern Ghana,constituting 95% of the stocks in this area (OtengAmoako et ai, 2005). Both the green and yellow(Bambusa vulgaris "vitata ") types are available,however, the green type is naturally widelydistributed in the wild, hence the one predominantlycollected for both domestic and commercial uses.

Thirteen other exotic species were found inbotanical gardens, arboretum and experimentalorchards (Table I).

Processing and Manufacturing

Large and small-scale entrepreneurs are involvedin processing and manufacturing of products frombamboo (Table 2). The large-scale producers arefew and are based in the south using industrialmachinery in production. The small-scale are basedin both rural and urban areas and employ a varietyof tools in manual production. The urban small scale form the majority with 70% based in Accra.

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70%

60%en

50%•... 0.p.o 40%u

~0 30%U<R

20%

10%0% Ashanti

Eastern Greater Accra Western

Region

Figure 5: Commercial bamboo collection regions in Southern Ghana

Table 1: Bamboo Species in Ghana

Species

Oxynanteria abbyssinica

Bambusa Vulgaris

Gigalltochloa albociliata. Ddendrocalamus asper,Dendrocalamus strictus. Dendrocalamusmembrenaceous. Dendrocalamus brandisii.

Dendrocalamus latiflorus. Bambusa edulis.Bambusa burmallica. Bambusa nutans. Bambusa

textiles. Bambusa multiplex. Bambusa ventricosa.Bambusa oldhamii. Guadua angustifolia. Guadua

chaco ens is. Thyrsostachis siamensis

Ghana Journal of Forestry. Vol. 21 & 22. 2007

Location

Northernsavannas

Transition andforest zones

Botanical

gardensArboretum

Experimentalorchards/genebank

Culm Diameter

Range (cm)

0.9-2.6

5-10

Not determined

Extent of Utilization

80% household20% commercial

85% commercia115% household

.Ornamental

Germplasm

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Table 2: Processor types, techniques and products


Processor

category

Large scale

Urban small scale

Rural small scale

Northern small scale

%

Respondent6

80

10

4

Major tools and processing techniques

Industrial machines

Sorting and culling of defective culms, Crosscutting, splitting, de-noding cleaning,curing/treatment in hot water &insecticide/other chemical mixture and

drying; planning, gluing, pressing at 90100°C and pressure of 200kgcm3 and finalplanning.

Cutlass/machete, knife, hacksaw, tapemeasure, driller, clamp, chisel, hammer,precision cutter, pincers, jack planer,splitting jig, iron rod, sand paper, sandingmachine, planer, pencils, markers, brush, gascylinder and gas blower/touch.

Cross cutting, cleaning, de-noding, curingwith kerosene, DOT, Gammalin 20, dieselmixes, sun drying, framing, joining, sandingand vanishing

Cutlass for cross cutting, de-noding.

Crosscut culm into pieces at nodes, split, peeland scrap into thin flakes for sun drying.Sand, colour, weave and stiffen dried flakes.Cut pattern, line with cloth material and sewinto product.Knife & fire

Cleaning, splitting, bending, weaving andbinding depending on product.

Products

Ply bamboo, ceiling panels,floorings, window blinds, doors,furniture, etc. and artifacts

including carvings.

Household and office furniture.

Mainly living room and dining sets,beds, shelves, chairs, tables.

Limited production of jewellery,curtain blinds, desk accessories andartifacts.

Roofing material and fishingrafters.

Native sandals, ladies and men's

bags, caps and files.

Bow and arrows, livestock pens,baskets, mats, walking sticks andlazy chairs.

Techniques in large scale proce5;sing

Typical large scale processing involves sorting theraw bamboo culms on delivery by gatherers to cullout defected ones and cross-cutting the culms intodesired lengths for splitting, de-nodding and

. cleaning. The split culms are treated by boiling inwater and insecticide/other chemical mixture and

dried by solar kiln dryer or air/sun drying. Thetreated culms are then smooth-planed and a numberof pieces glued together and pressed at atemperature range from 90-100°C and pressure of200 kgcm3• The output goes through final planing


to yield the pre-finished product, e.g. bamboo plythat is either sold to domestic furniture companiesor further processed into finished products.

Techniques in Small Scale Processing

In urban small scale processing, the raw bambooculms are cleaned, denoded, cured/treated withinsecticide (e.g. Desban, Gammalin 20-DDT) andkerosene/diesel and sun-dried. The desired productis manufactured, sanded and vanish applied forfinishing. Processing of the culm into products isquite rudimentary in the north. The knife is the

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major processing tool used sometimes with fire tofacilitate bending. Processing then entails, eleaning/scrapping, cutting, splitting, and weaving/bendingof the culms into desirable products (Table 2).

The rural processors surveyed usually do onlyprimary processing by splitting sun dried culms witha cutlass after cross cutting, de-noding and later sellthem for rural construction, particularly for roofing.A group of handicraft producers were alsoencountered manufacturing products such as nativesandals, ladies and men's bags, caps, files, etc. Thisgroup crosscut the culm into pieces at the nodes.Each piece is split into 8 pieces, peeled and scrappedinto long thin flakes/stripes. The flakes are sun dried,sanded and co loured (optional). The dried flakesare woven and stiffened. A desired pattern is cutdepending on the intended product, lined with acloth material and sewn or manufactured into the

product. Tools used in this process include cutlass/machete, knife, hacksaw, tape measure, drillingmachine, clamp, chisel, pair of scissors and a sewingmachine.

Marketing and ConsumptionOver 90% of bamboo vendors deal in unprocessedbamboo culms sold mainly for scaffolding inbuilding construction mostly in urban areas. Mostof the manufactured products are marketed or soldby the processors directly to local clients, andsometimes tourists, although wholesale contracts byfew product dealers in Accra are also honoured.

General Uses of BambooAside the manufactured products listed above, anumber of general uses are found across the country(Table 3). In the north, long bamboo poles arevaluable assets for women during the off-season forharvesting fruits e.g. Parkia biglobosa (Dawadawa)and for pulling down branches from tall trees forfirewood and so on. Households boil bamboo leaves

with or without other additives for curing commondiseases such as fever, jaundice, bilharzias and


diarrhoea. The leaves are believed to have

antibiotic properties, e.g. cleansing mouldy spotson infected chicken eggs.

All around the country bamboo poles are generallyused to suspend television aerials to enhancereception. Likewise whole or split poles are usedin fencing. Bamboo culms also find use in bothurban and rural construction. In urban areas of the

south bamboo culms are used for scaffolding. Inrural settings around the country it is usedparticularly as frames for mud houses, props,rafters, roof material and for binding thatch inroofing houses, construction oflivestock pens andso on.

In the north it is also used in binding thatch in themanufacture of covers to cap food barns. Bambooculms are also generally used in making benches,sheds, drying lines and goal posts in rural areas ofthe south. The yellow type of B. vulgaris and B.multiplex, among others, are usually planted asornamentals in homes, hotels, offices and otherpublic places particularly in the south.

Challenges in the Ghana Bamboo Sector

The study identified three major challenges facingthe bamboo sector in Ghana. These are an

unsustainable bamboo resource base, inefficient

processing and low quality products sold on apoorly developed market.

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Table 3: General observation on uses of bamboo


General use

Plucking poles and walking stickLeaves as medicines for fever, diarrhoeaand fungal infections

Television aerial suspension and fencing

Rural house construction (frames, props, thatch binding, roofing)Fishingrafters and fish trapsLivestock pens, feeding and water troughs

Drying lines, goal posts, benches and sheds

Props for scaffoldingOrnamental

Location

North

North and south

Rural north and south

Rural south

Urban southSouth

The Resource Base

Generally there is insufficient knowledge on theextent of the resource available to support theindustry, although it is speculated that there aresome considerable bamboo resources (about 5%of the forest vegetation over an area of about300,000 ha) in Ghana, especially in the Westernregion. Also, the material available to the industryis normally of variable quality. This is because ofthe lack of knowledge on the management of naturalstands coupled with the fact that versatility ofbamboo as a green gold is largely unknown as alow socio-economic value is usually ascribed tothe resource. Consequently, the resource is rarelymanaged, leading to poor clump formation. Culmsare densely packed in clumps or clusters, makingharvesting difficult and dangerous (injuries, itchingand sometimes death reported by harvesters), asmatured culms are located in the middle portionsof clumps. Thus harvesting is often unsustainableand unsuitable for the intended use. The culms also

grow poorly often bending at the apex sometimeswith crookedness resulting in wastage of culm as


only the first 14 feet of the culm from the base isideal for processing.

Lack of proper regulation or rules on exploitationof bamboo in the country is also a major threat tothe resource base. With the exception of a permitgranted (without supervision) from the ForestryServices Division (FSD) for exploitation in forestreserves, bamboo exploitation may be controlledon community lands through local/traditionalregulations. However access is granted at a feewithout strict control. Exploitation in the north isregulated by socio-cultural believes/taboos. Forinstance it is believed that thunder will strike a

harvester in the wet season. Also harvesting by adrunken person kills the clump and the resource isperceived as ancestral relics requiring permissionand payment in kind e.g. chicken to pay homagebefore harvesting.

Lack of formal rules in the south has resulted in

wasteful harvesting and utilization of bamboo. Oftenthe resource is indiscriminately harvested andhandled (e.g. burning of clumps to make way for

23


agriculture, clear cutting and cutting at anyconvenient point destroying/hampering clumpregeneration). This, together with the rising demandfor bamboo props for urban construction all yearround in the south, is an indication of the resourcegetting endangered in a short time. In the northrespondents reported that bamboo resources havedwindled considerably. Generally the resourceusually growing on compound farms has beenhanded down by generations of fore fathers and isculturally believed to have spiritual links withancestors, barring its planting.

Processing/Manufacturing

Generally, processing enterprises are supplied withpoor quality bamboo for product manufacture.

Bamboo culms procured may be crooked and proneto shrinkage and cracking. Also large-scaleproducers prefer culms with bigger diameter andlonger internodes to ease splitting and for moresplits. However, those supplied may beinappropriate. Although a wide range of tools andequipment are employed in processing of bambooand manufacturing of products by small-scaleprocessors, these are less efficient. Thus theproduction process is laborious causing drudgerywith high risks of injury.

Perhaps the most critical of the challengesencountered by the processing enterprise is effectivepreservation, as this significantly affects productquality or durability and production cost. Accordingto the large scale processors, known effectivechemicals such as hydrogen perox,ide are expensiveand can render production unprofitable if appliedat the large-scale industrial level. Most small scaleprocessors, due to lack of knowledge and effectivepreservation methods, simply apply mixes ofchemicals such as DDT, Dursban, Gamrnalin 20,Kerosine, Diesel and the like in an attempt to protectproducts against insect borers' and fungal growth.Some of these chemicals apart from being harmfulto human health, have been ineffective in ensuring


product durability leading to reduced shelve orservice life in products.

Another problem crippling the industry isinsufficient knowledge in product development.There is a wide range of products to be derivedfrom bamboo by both the small and large-scaleproducers for both domestic and internationalmarkets. Whereas the large-scale producers havebeen able to develop a number of complex tertiaryproducts including bamboo ply, ceiling panels andfloorings as well as home and office accessories,the major product domain by the small-scaleproducers has been furniture.

Products and Markets

The two major categories of products marketed areraw bamboo culms and manufactured products.Over 90% ofthe actors in this segment are raw culmdealers. With no management and withunsustainable harvesting, the raw materials suppliedto the raw culm dealers to be sold as props in

construction are of poor quality.

Dealers attributed insufficient knowledge inidentifying matured culms on the part of collectorsor the resource becoming less available close by asthe causes for the inferior quality in culms supplied.The usually crooked culms often sold untreated andleft at the mercy of the sun and rain often shrink,crack and are destroyed by insect borers and fungus.Some of the culms may also be of inappropriatediameter and internodes for clients. For instance

the construction industry, which is the largestconsumer of raw culms, prefers bigger diameterculms for better support but usually smallerdiameter ones are most available. Dealers claim the

high cost of culm extraction and haulage tomarketing centres deters suppliers/collectors fromsecuring the product from remote forest areas wherebetter quality culms may be available.

Similarly, manufactured products often displayedby small scale producers along major routes in cities

24


and towns have shorter shelve and service life.

Although these products may be nicely finished,they are prone to the adversities of the weather anddeteriorate over a short time from insect and fungal

attacks. With less durable products, therefore, thereis limited access to international markets, not tomention the insufficient knowledge in global marketniches for various products and the lack of sufficientcapital and technical know-how for producing highquality, standardized products for competitiveinternational markets.

RECOMMENDATIONS ANDCONCLUSIONS

A number of interventions are required for reducingthe barriers to effective development of the bamboosector in Ghana. The major critical areas are thoserelated to policy, improvement ofthe resource base,product manufacture, preservation and productdurability, marketing and research.

Policy

The government of Ghana through the Ministry ofLands, Forestry and Mines (MLFM), hasestablished the Bamboo and Rattan DevelopmentProgramme (BARADEP) to promote thedevelopment of the bamboo sector in the country(MLFM, undated). This notwithstanding, a clearpolicy for bamboo sector development needs to beput in place. Relevant areas this policy would needto outline include resource sustainability throughdevising regulatory and legislative procedures forbamboo exploitation to protect the resource fromdepletion and for improving the resource stock.

Some sensitization has begun by the BARADEPbut this needs to be increased to portray theversatility of bamboo as a green gold especiallyamong rural people and entrepreneurs. Also thepromotion of bamboo as an essential woodsubstitute together with promotion of bamboo basedindustries and enterprises through various meansincluding institutional support services in enhancing

Ghana Journal of Forestry, Vol. 2 J & 22, 2007

skills through education and training, credit,marketing and export facilitation would naturallyimprove the sector tremendously. Policy on researchsupport for resource development, processing andmarketing of products is key, to tapping the socioeconomic potential of bamboo for foreign exchangeearnings and enhancing the livelihoods ofthe ruraland urban poor.

Research

Research has a number of tasks to honour if the

bamboo sector is to progress steadily. Areas ofinterests for research may include technologies formanaging natural stands and sustainable harvestingas well as establishment of germplasm to ensuresustainable supply of quality culms. Cost effectivepreservation of culms, effective drying schedulesand quality glue for effective bonding als() need tobe determined. A sustainable resource base cannot

be developed without adequate knowledge onavailable resource stock on which projections canbe based to ensure adequate supply of raw materialfor the industry. There is probably the need to firstdevice a reliable cost effective inventory methodto assess the stocking of the commercial species.

Until recently, only limited research on bamboopreservation had been conducted at the ForestryResearch Institute of Ghana (FORIG). Althoughcurrently some basic research on anatomical andphysical properties, preservation, determination ofgenetic diversity and appropriate management andharvesting methods is underway at FORIG, theremay be need for studies on mechanical propertiesand on development of prototype products of themajor commercial species, Bambusa vulgaris, toaid the development of suitable products fordifferent market segments.

Also technologies for managing natural standsneeds to be targeted at yielding quality straightculms to minimize wastage whereas that forharvesting would need to enhance regeneration and

25


reduce injury and skin irritations. Methods forpropagating quality bamboo seedlings at thenursery, incorporating into cropping systems andcultivation in plantations are highly essential forthe production of appropriate materials andsustenance of the resource base for the industry.Biotechnology would be crucial in the productionof sufficient culms for the industry and developingculms with desirable traits including straightness,bigger diameter, and longer internodes, less starchyculms that are urgently needed by both small andlarge scale processors. Research on productpreservation should be targeted at cost effective andsafe preservation technologies for enhancingproduct durability. This should take intoconsideration, prevention of borer and fungalattack, shrinkage, cracking in both raw (primarypreservation) and processed products.

Product Manufacture, Durability andMarketing

The development of a wide range of qualityproducts for various markets would requireappropriate processing machines and technology.Most importantly, for the small scale processorsimproved simple tools to reduce drudgery and

injury would be required. Process?rs also requiretransfer of improved technical knowledge on

Ghana Journal of Forestry, Vol. 2/ & 22, 2007

processing techniques for the development of awider range of durable attractive products,especially for international markets. They alsorequire knowledge in cost effective and safepreservation methods to enhance product durabilityand protect human health. Interventions to supportmarketing of products may include promotion andstandardization as well as identification of

appropriate market niches for the different productsto be produced

The bamboo industry in Ghana, is to a large extent,a low input and labour intensive system, althoughthe few large scale producers have set the space toimprove on processing techniques for morecomplex products to substitute timber with limitedcapital. To sustain this, support of the governmentis essential.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This research was funded by the Africa ForestryResearch Network (Afornet). The authors aregrateful to technical and non-technical staff of theForestry Research Institute of Ghana for researchsupport and the numerous respondents across thecountry that provided information for the bamboopes analysis.

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REFERENCES

Belcher, B. (1995) Bamboo and Rattan Productionto-Consumption Systems: A framework forassessing development options. INBAR WorkingPaper No.4. New Delhi, India. 12 PP.

Environment News Service (2004) Worldbamboo diversity falling to deforestation.www,newfarm.org/www.ens-newswire.com.

Ghana News Agency (2004) Help develop bambooas alternative to timber. Presented at a two-daystrategic conference on the development of bambooand rattan resource in Ghana. Accra, 23-24November 2004.

Ghana News Agency (2005) Bamboo: A GoodSubstitute for Wood Timber. GNA 14 September2005.

Hammond, K. O. (2006) Cultivate bamboo foremployment and income generation. GhanaianChronicle (Accra), 18 May 2006.


Kigomo B. N. (1997) A state-of-the art study onbamboo and rattan research and development inAfrica. KEFRI, INBAR, New Delhi-India 5lpp.

Ministry of Lands, Forestry & Mines (MLFM)(Undated) Bamboo and Rattan DevelopmentProgramme (BARADEP), Accra.

Obiri, D. B., Oteng-Amoako, A., Ebanyele E. &Adjei, R. (2006) The Bamboo Economy of Ghana:An Analysis of the Production-to-ConsumptionSystems. Draft Technical Report. FORIG, Kumasi.Ghana.

Oteng-Amoako A. A. Ofori D., Anglaare L. C.N, Obiri Darko B, and Ebanyenle E. (2005)Sustainable development of bamboo resources ofGhana and Togo. Progress report submitted toAfrica forest research Network, Nairobi, Kenya

Quintans, K. N. (1998) Ancient Grass, FutureNatural Resource. The National Bamboo Projectof Costa Rica: A case study of the role bamboo ininternational development. Inbar Working paperNo. 16. 58PP.

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Documents

TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BAMBOO … · In Ghana, bamboo and rattan resources constitute the two largest non-timber forest products. (}hana's forest resources continue