Bam

mboo
oprop
pagattion
and
dutiliisatio
ontra
aining
g
SupportedbyFA
ACTandFA
ADprojecctsofSPC.

Onceestablishedtheclumpsmaybeharvesstedannuallyoveerhundredsofye
ears.
oductsincludingttwomaincrops:
Differentbamboospeciesproducemanypro
otsandtimberpo
oles.Otherusesincludehandicrafft,paperandbioffuel
edibleshoo
generation.Mr.DurnfordD
Dart

8/7/200
09

LRDBam
mbootraining,2009.

Bamboopropagationandutilisatio
onworkshoprreport
Date:4thAugust,2009
90807

warenessonth
hecare/main
ntenanceofbaambooanditssutilisation.
Purpose::Tocreateaw

Introduction
Thebam
mboopropagattionandutilissationworksh
hopwasheldatFijisForestryDepartm
mentinColoISuvaand
thenearb
bynursery,prreviouslyown
nedbyForestrryDepartmen
nt.Atotalof2
25participantss(annexone)attended
thedaylongtrainingw
whichwascon
nductedbyM
MrDurnfordD
DartofBambo
ooAustraliaPttyLtd.Europe
eanUnion
funded Facilitating Agricultural
A
C
Commodity
T
Trade
[FACT] project as well as Foreestry and Aggricultural
Diversificcationprogram
mofSecretariatofthePaciificCommunittysLandReso
ourceDivision
nprovidedthe
efinancial
supportffortheworksh
hop.

Bambooss are describeed as worldss largest grassses, growing up to 36 meeters high wiith diameterss that can
exceed3
30cm.Bambooplantsproduceanannuaalcropofnewshootsthatttelescopeinto
opolesatuptoameter
perday. Onceestablisshedtheclum
mpsmaybeh
harvestedann
nuallyoverhu
undredsofyeears.Differenttbamboo
speciesp
producemanyyproductsinccludingtwom
maincrops:ed
dibleshootsandtimberpoles.Otheruse
esinclude
handicraft,paperandbiofuelgenerration.
Theprim
mefocusoftheeworkshopw
wastoidentifyyandestablish
hbambooasaasubstitutetiimbermateriaalsuitable
fortheproductionofb
bamboofloorring,plywood,,charcoaland
dbiofuelwithexportpotential.
Members of Fiji Bam
mboo Associattion that were present att the worksh
hop were verry impressed with the
techniquesandknowledgeimparteedbythereso
ourceperson,andwereverrythankfultotheSPCforo
organising
suchtraining.
Participantssattheworkshop
p

MrDartdemonsttratesbamboopropagationto
M
o
oneoftheparticipaant

Bambo
oostemreadyffor
p
propagation

LRDBambootraining,2009.

ActivitiesoftheDay
The training begun at 9:00a.m with the resource person who went through two power point presentation.
Somehighlightsofthepresentationswere:
1.

UsesofBamboo:

Bamboo is a grass the worlds largest grass that grows up to 36 metre high with diameters
exceeding 30 cm and produces an annual crop of new shoots that telescope into poles @ a
metreaday.Onceestablished,clumpsareharvestedforhundredsofyears.
o Bamboobenefitsbyproducingtwocrops.
o Edibleshoots
o Timberpoles.
Bamboo thrives when irrigated with effluent sewerage pig cow as it strips nutrients from
theeffluent!
Bambooabsorbscarbondioxide=carbonsequestrationcredits.
Theutilizationofbambooisonlylimitedtotheimagination,inconstruction:PolesFlooring
Cladding,infurniture:HomeResortCommercial,inhandicrafts:UtensilsToysBlinds,even
inMarine:RaftFishingWharfsMarkers,structures:HousingShedsPensandintransport:
TruckdecksCratesBarrows.

2.

PropagationofBamboo:
MASSPROPAGATESPECIESFORCONSUMPTIONAS:
EdibleShoots
ConstructionTimber
BiofuelFeedstock
Methodsofpropagation
Division
Seed
CulmCutting
Branchcutting
Marcotting
MicroPropagation
TrenchLayering
Forbestresults
Selecthealthyandstrongparentplants..
Keepcuttingsmoistatalltimes.
Remembertowaterestablishedplants.
Applyfertilizerwhentherootsystemofthenewplantisestablished.
Teachrecipientofnewplantshowtomanageandmaintain.

Followingmorningtea,thewholeteamwenttothebamboonurseryestablishedbyForestryDepartment.The
participantswereexposedtodifferentvarieties/speciesofbambooinFijipresent(sofarthereareonly7).The
resourcepersonalsodemonstratedtotheparticipantsonhowtomaintaintheclumpsandalsoexplainedthe
reasonformarkingtheindividualbamboosothatonly4yearsoldmaturedisharvestedandothersallowed
buildup.

After much discussion and lunch, the resource person demonstrated the technique of propagating bamboo
usingyoungbranches.

Conclusion
ThetrainingconcludedwithremarksfromEuropeanCommissiondelegateMsCristinaCasellawhoshowedher
appreciation for such training. Mr Dart also encouraged the participants to seriously consider bamboo as a
potentialcropthatcangeneraterevenueforthem.Afollowupofthistrainingwasalsorecommended.

LRDBambootraining,2009.

Annexone
ParticipantsandobserversforBambooTrainingWorkshop
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.

MrDurnfordDartTrainer,BambooAustralia;durn@bamboooz.com.au
DrLexThomsonSPCLRDFACTTeamLeader(resourceperson);lext@spc.int
MrJalesiMatebotoSPCLRDcommunityforestry;jalesim@spc.int
MrVineshPrasadSPCLRDFACTMedialiaisonandinformation;vineshp@spc.int
MrSaimoniNabiturumaruMinistryofInformation(videorecording)
MrIowaneKonoitukanaSilviculturalResearchDivisionFijiDepartmentofForestry(ColoISuva)
ph:3322311
MrKeletoKadiForestExtensionService,FijiDepartmentofForestry(ColoISuva)
MrMasiLatiniaralocalarchitect(2NDSITE)interestinbambooforconstruction;ph:3314219;
MsKimKumsookinteriorarchitect(ArchitectsPacific)
MrSamuelaTaucilaginurseryworker(NarereandLauIs)ph:8607771
MrSokoSukuluMaravuBambooClubph3606850ph:9536579
MrMalakaiMaravuBambooClub(ColoISuvalandowner)
MrIlikanaMaravuBambooClub(ColoISuvalandowner)
MrSaimoniGatauruaCommunityExtensionOfficerMinistryofNationalPlanning;
saimoni.gataurua@labour.gov.fj
MrBobHortonBusinessDevelopmentSpecialist(IHRDP)USPeaceCorps;
bob.horton@mindspring.com
MsGillyHuggettlocalarchitect(ArchitectsPacificandBambooAssociationofFiji)ph:9955871
MrChrisColelocalarchitect(ArchitectsPacific)chris@architectspacific.com
MsLyndaMillerFijiBambooAssociation(WakayaIs)ph:9908471
MrUsaiaKorodrauBitukauEnterprises(Vusuya);ph:7316215
MrJohnLewisFijiBambooAssociation(Suva)
MrWilsonChowprivategrower(WainibokasiLanding)wchow@colonialfiji.com.fj
MrVilisoniNatanielaprivategrower(Wailoku&Rotuma)ph:3322213
MrLeoneMoceNaililiwaluVutikaluluCentre,Naitisiri(throughjuliedewa@yahoo.co.uk)
MrEremasiQaraiwaluVutikaluluCentre,Naitisiri
MrKamenieliManitoVutikaluluCentre,Naitisiri
MrNiumaiaLivouVutikaluluCentre,Naitisiri
MrKeletoKadiForestExtensionService,FijiDepartmentofForestry(ColoISuva)
MrHumphreyChangWingleeFarm(grower/user)wlm@connect.com.fj
MrIvanKrishnaSOPAC,Suvaivan@sopac.org
MsCristinaCasellaDelegationoftheEuropeanCommissionforthePacificRegionalIntegration,
EnvironmentandNaturalResourcesCristina.CASELLA@ec.europa.eu