Unrealized bamboo bonanza

Because only one third of one percent of the P30 billion spent by the National Greening Program over the last six years was on bamboo, the potential bonanza from bamboo was not realized.

Bonanza is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as  “a situation or event  that creates a sudden increase in wealth, good fortune, or profits.”  Of our 5.7 million denuded hectares,  only 15,000 hectares were planted to bamboo from 2010 to 2016.  Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez’s announcement that this would be increased  to one million hectares for the next six years  will result in a welcome bonanza.  This is important because of the climate change challenge we face today.

Devastating deforestation 

There are two main reasons why having 5.7 million hectares of denuded forest is a national disaster.

First,  with little forest cover, the water and top soil cannot be held because there are no more trees.  This could result in flooding. The water and top soil goes down to the rivers, than can hold less water.  The excess water floods nearby agricultural lands and communities. The consequence is damaged crops. The excess water also carries harmful inorganic fertilizers and pesticides down through the soil and  pollutes the water table. Unsafe water and other undesirable effects cause health problems.

Second, with the fertile top soil disappearing,  nothing can be planted to the affected areas. This affects our food security. Even if we succeed in  desilting our rivers, the excess water from the denuded mountains will continue to cascade down.  Along with it will come the bad soil and harmful particulates. Unless massive reforestation is done,  this will be a continuing  harmful  problem, especially with climate change.

Bamboo solution

For only P20,000,  bamboo can be planted to a hectare of denuded land: P7,000 for materials, P6,000 for maintenance  and P7,000 for labor.

In many cases,  we see picture-taking of planting trees.  But too often, these trees do not survive because of poor maintenance, or because cogon overruns these trees.  Bamboo,  like cogon,  is a grass.  It can overcome cogon and survive with very little maintenance.  Thus, a bamboo plantation will likely be successful.

It has three clear advantages: it absorbs harmful carbon dioxide 300 percent more than other trees; it produces 35  percent more oxygen and, based on a Central Mindanao University study,  it is 75 percent better in preventing soil erosion.

Also, you can cut five of the average 30 stems from a bamboo clump without having to replant, unlike other trees that have to be replaced by planting all over again.

Very  significant is the financial bonanza  from bamboo. Assuming a harvest of 1,000 bamboo poles per hectare sold at P100 each,  this means P100,000 income a year for just one hectare.  Dr. Flor Tesoro,  former director of DOST’s Forest Product Research and Development Institute,  says bamboo has the best potential for rural  microenterprises to alleviate povery.

Aside from food processing using bamboo shoots and value adding  through bamboo furniture and houseware,  one can go into making charcoal brickets.  Microenterprises can liquify the smoke from the charcoaling process.  This contains about 35 percent ascetic acid. This can then be transformed and sold as high value products,  such as disinfectants, deodorants  and air fresheners.

With all these benefits of environmental protection in a period of climate change,  the resulting benefits for  agricultural and health,  and the jobs that can be created in the rural areas,  it is time that DENR,  DA, and   DTI unite to champion the realization of a neglected potential bamboo bonanza.