By Alfred Ajayi
Bamboo is a giant grass that grows with shallow grass-like roots (just like lawn). It produces new canes (culms) in the spring. The shoots emerge out of the ground and grow in height and diameter for around 60 days. Bamboo grows from its roots, and when it is cut, it quickly grows back. Most of its species mature between three and five years.
It grows in both tropical and temperate environments, and all continents have native species, except Europe and Antarctica, where non-native species still grow. Bamboo, which comes in different shapes, sizes, and colours, has 91 genera and over 1,000 species. The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) in 2006 identified five indigenous species, but Bambusa vulgaris and oxystenanthera abyssynica are the most common species in Nigeria.
As the fastest-growing land plant in the world after giant sea kelp in the ocean, bamboo is of immense benefit to people and the environment. It cools down the surrounding air by up to 8 degrees in the summer, which serves as a natural air conditioner for gardens and buildings close to it. Bamboo is edible, though some have horrible tastes. New shoots are harvested while they are still soft and are often used in Asian cuisine.
According to Guinness World Records, some species of bamboo can grow up to 2.91 feet a day. Jane Marsh wrote on January 27, 2023, on Sustainability Times that bamboo can help fight both climate change and poverty. Additionally, one hectare of bamboo forest may sequester 12 metric tonnes of carbon annually. The rate of sequestration can potentially slow global warming.
Bamboo boosts fight against climate change
On top of it all, bamboo boosts the fight against climate change. It is mostly drought-tolerant because it can survive lack of water. It is also one of the best plants for soil stability and erosion prevention. It is a perfect choice for protecting a riverbank, creek or dam wall, steep garden beds etc.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), an international financial institution and specialized United Nations agency, says in an article entitled “Five ways bamboo can fight climate change”, that with an estimated 30 million hectares throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia and the Americas, bamboo contributes significantly to combating climate change especially in rural communities of the developing world.
The article is a reproduction of the September 9, 2015, article by the International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR) which demonstrated five keyways that bamboo can help countries mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
INBAR contends that bamboo helps in carbon sequestration as its fast-growing and renewable stands sequester carbon in their biomass at rates comparable, or even superior many tree species. When properly managed and intensively harvested, bamboo can sequester up to 1.78 tonnes of CO2 per clump per year.
Its many durable products are equally potentially carbon negative. Bamboos act as locked-in carbon sinks and encourage the expansion and improved management of bamboo forests. A 2015 report by TU Delft, INBAR and Moso BV International found that bamboo could also be a favourable substitute for hardwoods, because of its lower carbon footprint and eco-costs.
Bamboo Forest of China, the largest in the world, has substantial amounts of carbon stored in it, which is projected to increase as the country’s reforestation programmes expand from 727 million tonnes in 2010 to 1018 million tonnes in 2050.
Also, with bamboo, use of fossil fuel becomes avoidable even as deforestation is equally reduced. It offers an alternative, highly renewable source of biomass energy. For those who rely on solid biomass for cooking, such as charcoal or briquettes, bamboo provides a sustainable source of bioenergy. This can learn a boost to the resolve to phase out the use of fossil fuel which is one o the major resolutions of the recently-concluded COP28 in Dubai.
Bamboo is equally useful in terms of restoration. Being integral to many natural and agricultural ecosystems around the tropics, bamboo is useful in restoring degraded lands. Apart from thriving on problem soils and steep slopes unsuitable for other crops, bamboo is an effective windbreak even as its sturdy rhizomes and roots regulate water flows and prevent erosion. INBAR’s 2018 report contains the benefits of bamboo for land restoration in eight countries: China, Colombia, Ghana, India, Nepal, South Africa, Tanzania and Thailand.
As other forest resources are increasingly strained under climate change, bamboo becomes imperative in mitigating climate change as it less dependence on fossil fuels and endangered forest resources. Bamboo can be used for an estimated 10,000 purposes ranging from furniture and paper to fabrics, processed flooring, and climate-smart housing. Bamboo offers practical solutions to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Balances oxygen and carbon dioxide
Bamboo plays a significant role in striking the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Consequently, planting bamboo is a way of reducing carbon footprint and help fighting global warming.
During earthquakes in Asian countries, bamboo assists immensely as people run into its groves and forests known to be safe because of its very safe and stable root structure. In the article entitled eight amazing bamboo facts, Meaghan Weeden mentioned the ability of the bamboo to sequester a lot of bamboo.
Apart from contributing to the fight against climate change, bamboo is crucial to people’s lives in several other ways all over the world. In China for instance, bamboo plant serves different purposes ranging medicine and cooking to building materials and accessories. Bamboo is also used in making quality textile material.
FG support research on bamboo
Happily, the Federal Government earlier this year revealed that it had established a research competence on bamboo to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The move is in collaboration with the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) is targeted at forestalling environmental degradation, improve economy, mitigate climate change, and create livelihood and jobs.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government called on Nigerians to embrace cultivation of bamboo trees in the country to combat climate change even as Chinese Government through its Chamber of Commerce promised to improve the usage of bamboo in Nigeria through the establishment of a bamboo industry in the country.
During the commemoration of the 2023 World Bamboo Day in Abuja with the theme “Environmental Restoration and Job Creation’’, the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal said in building on the outcomes of COP28 Global Climate Summit in Dubai, UAE, the ministry is taking a significant step toward a greener and more sustainable future for Nigerians by among other things promoting bamboo cultivation and utilisation in the country.
“Not only does bamboo cultivation contribute to the preservation of our environment, it also offers opportunities for economic growth and poverty alleviation. Its diverse applications in different sectors of the economy make it a valuable resource for job creation and income generation.”
As laudable as government’s plans sound, translating it into visible outcomes will bring huge relief. There is a compelling need for meaningful and result-oriented partnership between the Federal Government and the sub-national governments, non-governmental organizations and international institutions to bring these potential benefits home. Nigerians across the country must be sensitized to broaden their understanding about bamboo and harness its many benefits.
Editing by Annabel Nwachukwu
