Bamboo and Rattan bring both economic and environmental benefits

Due to climate change， people around the world are paying more attention to ecological issues and natural resource shortages. The International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation， an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Beijing， with 42 members， focuses on protecting the natural resources of bamboo and rattan producing countries. Six of its members are ASEAN countries， including Indonesia， Malaysia， the Philippines， Vietnam， Myanmar and Thailand.

In an exclusive interview， Hans Friederich， director general of the bamboo and rattan organization， explained that bamboo and rattan producing countries are in a unique position to improve environmental protection efforts and even contribute to global economic development.

>> China Report ASEAN： Most ordinary people have limited knowledge about bamboo and rattan. Or， they may know a little about the effects of such resources on environmental protection efforts， and most have no idea that bamboo and rattan can provide significant economic contributions as well. What are your thoughts on people’s understanding of these resources？

Hans Friederich： By talking with people from embassies or departments of different nations， I have to admit that it is true that people still have a limited understanding of bamboo and rattan. We want to teach people about these resources. First， allow me to illustrate their economic value.

China ranks first in the global bamboo and rattan industry， and it is a very important production area for them. These days， China exports about US$1.8 billion worth of bamboo and rattan a year， and Chinese-manufactured items such as tables and chairs remain popular in the West. Now， improved bamboo processing technologies are being transferred to less-developed producers in ASEAN countries， such as Thailand and the Philippines.

Though various ASEAN countries are home to bamboo and rattan， most lack proper processing technology. If a farmer from such countries can develop bamboo products， he or she benefits. If a whole village can achieve this， the village benefits. This is prevalent all the way up to the national level.

In addition， bamboo and rattan are excellent alternative resources. For example， materials extracted from bamboo and rattan can replace plastics and other chemical materials. They can be processed into soap， fertilizer， computer keyboard materials， fiber materials and other products. The diversification of bamboo-made products brings increased profit to producers. More importantly， these products are environmentally-friendly.

>> China Report ASEAN： How can bamboo and rattan help countries cope with climate change？

Hans Friederich： Bamboo and rattan are indeed wonderful resources that can help in dealing with climate change.

For instance， we are working with companies in Hangzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang Province to produce bikes made with bamboo fiber rather than silicon fiber.

Because of climate change， farmers are more vulnerable to sudden changes in weather conditions， such as floods created by heavy rains and unpredictable periods of drought. Thus， they need to plant alternative crops to protect themselves. Bamboo is a good choice， because bamboo is a resilient crop. If a farmer plants bamboo， rice， maize and potatoes all at the same time， bamboo can best survive periods of bad weather.

Deforestation is a challenge for many nations. Due to the elevation of bamboo processing technologies， desks and tables made from bamboo and rattan are now just as beautiful and durable as those made from wood. Trees can take decades to grow large enough for their wood to be harvested. Bamboo takes only eight years to mature.

>> China Report ASEAN： Against the backdrop of the Belt and Road Initiative， in your mind， what's China's role in ecological protection？ As an international organization headquartered in Beijing， how does the Initiative affect you？

Hans Friederich： China is now a world leader in many ways. Numerous new bamboo creations are developed and transferred to other parts of the world from China. For example， in the manufacturing field， many chairs， tables and floorboards made in China are now available in Western markets. Bamboo products are bio-degradable and low-carbon.

The Initiative brings us fresh ideas and opportunities. It is well-known that the establishment of infrastructural facilities is given special attention， and such facilities should be environmentally-friendly. At the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing this past May， Chinese President Xi Jinping explained that the world’s development must be sustainable. Therefore， we have been urged to do more to develop green infrastructural facilities.

For example， we are working to produce bamboo walls that can replace concrete walls in a wide range of areas， reducing water loss and soil erosion when flood comes. This technology is particularly applicable in Kenya and Ghana， two countries involved in the Belt and Road Initative.

I think we can cooperate with our member states and other organizations to help improve environmentally-friendly development around the world.

>> China Report ASEAN： What is your focus in the near future？

Hans Friederich： Firstly， we will continue focusing on promoting technology transfer. For example， funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the European Union， our organization's South-South Knowledge Transfer Strategies project has already provided technology transfer training on bamboo propagation techniques in African countries， including Ethiopia and Ghana.

We hope to fill knowledge gaps in bamboo planting materials production， and promote large-scale bamboo plantations for environmental management and bamboo agro-forestry farming system development. This will improve the income of small-plot farmers in those regions. Apart from that， we will also strive to promote bamboo technologies in ASEAN countries such as Thailand， which became our 42nd member in 2016.

Secondly， we will continue inviting people from our member countries to come to China for two-to-three-week training courses. We hope they will be able to learn more about what they can do with Chinese bamboo. These courses often include spending one week in Beijing for seminars and talks with professors before visiting bamboo factories and plantations in Zhejiang， Sichuan and Guizhou provinces.

Based on our past experience， we know that when people return to their home countries following such training， they strive to do more with bamboo. They talk with local NGOs and farmers in an effort to work together.

Thirdly， we are busy preparing for the Global Bamboo and Rattan Congress 2018， which will be held in Beijing on June 25-27 next year. The Congress will aim to enhance South-South cooperation for green development through bamboo and rattan's contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals （SDGs）， including ending poverty in all its forms， addressing climate change， protecting and restoring terrestrial ecosystems and other areas. We will also discuss bamboo and rattan's vital roles in South-South cooperation， innovation and green development， as well as the Belt and Road Initiative.