2022

Hemp has suffered from bad reputation in the past but is currently making a come-back all around the world because of the great contribution it can make to sustainable development efforts.

Bamboo is potentially an important component of the Green Economy transformation. Its presence in a number of Pacific island countries and its versatility could offer Pacific people sustainable solutions to their needs.

There is an urgent need for all developing countries to legalise the growth and industrial use of hemp.  Hemp has a multitude of uses and grows well in all environments.

Large ocean nations like those in the Pacific need to start looking at themselves as Blue Economies. They need to develop roadmaps to maximise returns from the blue economy while ensuring adherence to principles of sustainability.

As world leaders gathered in New York in 2015 and endorsed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), many in the private sector had little idea how these will affect them or what their role would be to achieve these global goals.

As custodians of the biggest ocean on the planet, Pacific Island nations are on the front-line of the Blue Economy challenge and rely on healthy ocean ecosystems for economic growth, food security and natural capital.

Mangrove ecosystems are found in the coastal areas of most tropical countries. In recent years conservation organisations have been able to raise the profile of mangroves for people to stop considering them as just swamps.

A Bamboo Agribusiness Compendium for the Pacific was published by PARDI 2 (Pacific Agribusiness Research in Development Initiative 2) late last year.

This is an important addition to the scarce bamboo related literature from the Pacific.

The compendium is divided into six easy-to-follow modules:

1. Before you start;

2. Establishing your bamboo plantation or agroforest;

3. Planning your bamboo nursery business;

4. Mixed bamboo smallholder farming business;

5. Production of bamboo charcoal and biochar; and

6. Bamboo markets and marketing.

This Compendium provides an insight into bamboo… the varieties of bamboo species suited to the Pacific Islands for different uses, and highlights issues to consider before embarking on bamboo farming and agribusiness. It contains an overview of what is needed to establish a smallholder bamboo plantation or agroforest. It also provides advice on planning a bamboo nursery business with all the information that is needed to develop such a business in the Pacific Islands.

Another section of the Compendium focuses on the development of a mixed farming business that could produce edible shoots and timber/poles from two bamboo species in Fiji. There is also a case study on the production of charcoal and biochar from bamboo as a commercially-promising and environmentally friendly business. Finally the Compendium provides advice on how to capitalise on the market opportunities for bamboo, including the different value chains in which bamboo products could be sold.

The Compendium was written by Lex Thomson, a veteran forester in the Pacific, with contributions from Mark Borg and Soko Sukulu.

As the Compendium observes, bamboos offer considerable potential for rural development in the South Pacific. Pacific islands countries need to realise the potential of this green resource and put in place policies to support this industry. This compendium is an important tool for entrepreneurs who want to embark on this journey.

One can download the Compendium here.