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The Wide Chasm Between Small-time Bamboo Farmers and the Market

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The Wide Chasm Between Small-time Bamboo Farmers and the Market

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What is causing the challenge to persist? 

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What is causing the challenge to persist? 

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As mentioned before, local market demand for the bamboo market may be limited by three factors:

1. Little mainstream information on the quality and benefits of bamboo products
2. Expensiveness of bamboo furniture relative to other materials.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291148446
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ramon-Razal-2/publication/304928902_Rattan_and_bamboo_production_trends_in_the_Philippines_and_implications_to_policy_and_forest_conservation/links/5af053e8a6fdcc8508b980a9/Rattan-and-bamboo-production-trends-in-the-Philippines-and-implications-to-policy-and-forest-conservation.pdf

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Who stands to benefit from the challenge continuing to persist? 

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Who stands to benefit from the challenge continuing to persist? 

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Manufacturers and retailers of traditional furniture--particularly plastic and hardwood furniture--stand to benefit. This is because bamboo furniture, when it is mainstreamed, may disrupt the furniture market.

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In recent years, people are more accepting towards the application of bamboo. Initially, people were reluctant to adopt it because of its reputation as a cheap traditional material. Consumers - specifically those in the West - think of bamboo as a rural product. The Philippine government is currently trying to think of initiatives to promote it.

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What resources are available that could be drawn upon? 

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What resources are available that could be drawn upon? 

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Bamboo products are currently sold on eCommerce platforms such as Lazada and Shopee by bamboo start-ups in the Philippines. However, these platforms do not provide specialized services for bamboo products and their industry to thrive in the market. They do not try to reach out to provincial artisans in the Philippines. These artisans are not capable of enrolling themselves in eCommerce platforms due to a lack of gadgets and unstable connections. Most of these artisans are from far-flung areas that do not have the allocated budget to expand their engineered bamboo products.

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What efforts are already being tried which could directly impact the challenge? 

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What efforts are already being tried which could directly impact the challenge? 

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Increasing Bamboo Supply

The local supply of bamboo is not enough to meet the demand. In 2020, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provided 125 Shared Service Facilities (SSF) to MSMEs involved in the bamboo agri-business and manufacturers. This aimed to increase the bamboo plantation.

Along with the DENR and DTI, the Philippine Bamboo Foundation continuously conducted market research, economic trends, and investment opportunities for bamboo MSMEs.

Increasing Bamboo Demand

To increase demand for bamboo furniture, President Arroyo signed EO 879, which mandated that 20% of furniture in public elementary and secondary schools must be locally produced bamboo furniture.

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What are the different models? How are they joined up, or not?

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What are the different models? How are they joined up, or not?

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The different business models involved in addressing this challenge are companies that follow corporate social responsibilities (CSR) and government institutions.

An example is Bambuhay with its cooperation with the Department of Science and Technology. The department assisted the company on the technical side of producing bamboo products such as tumblers and straws.

The government helps the bamboo industry in terms of raising awareness and endorsing the benefits of bamboo products. However, these efforts do not connect MSMEs, especially provincial artisans to the market.

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Bambuhay is currently the country's largest producer of bamboo straws. (Photo source: Bambuhay).
"Bambuhay", a bamboo-based social enterprise which has won several international awards in the last two years, recently thanked the Department of Science and Technology's Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI) for its technical support to the company. The major producer of bamboo straws in the Philippines, Bambuhay uses bamboo farming and entrepreneurship to help farmers fight poverty, and protect the environment.

While onlookers may say that the firm's success is largely fuelled by its leadership's aggressive drive to help poor farmers, its founder and CEO, Mark Sultan Gersava, acknowledges that Bambuhay owes part of its growth to the help they received from DOST-FPRDI in 2017 and 2019.

"The technical assistance from the Institute was key to improving the quality of our products and consequently enabled us to compete in the world market," Gersava said.

Bambuhay establishes bamboo plantations in deforested areas (with the help of the government's Bamboo Agro-Forestry Program) and makes various bamboo products - straws, tumblers and bamboo charcoal - both for local and global markets.

According to Gersava, the company not only wants to give jobs to farmers in the poorest provinces, it aims turn them into "agri-preneurs." It dreams of becoming the first social enterprise in Asia owned by everyone directly involved in its operations - from the growers who supply the raw materials, to all the production workers and all their other personnel. Bamboo became their plant of choice because it grows very well locally, and is an efficient eco-warrior. It can absorb huge amounts of climate-changing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

"We did not know much about bamboo processing, so we were glad we have found in DOST-FPRDI a partner for our technical needs," Gersava said. "Their specialists trained us on bamboo finishing and treatment, and did microbial analysis on our bamboo straws and phytochemical analysis on bamboo leaves. As a result, our product quality increased, and sales ballooned by 250 %."

"In the years to come, I'm sure we would go back to DOST-FPRDI to get more help," he added. "We have big plans for our farmers, so we are always on the lookout for better ways to assist them. Because of that, we would always be needing the support of anyone and everyone who knows how to make the most out of bamboo."

According to Gersava, as of 2019, Bambuhay has already helped 181 farming families (and pulled 52 of these from poverty), sold 916,727 bamboo straws, and eliminated 5.6 million pounds of C02 from the atmosphere.

Among the awards they have collected were the following:

* Grand Winner of the 2019 Asean Impact Challenge (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia),
* Global 100 Winner of the 2019 Entrepreneurship World Cup (out of more than 100,000 applicants worldwide) (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia),
* Grand Winner Start-upper of the Year (Paris, France), and
* Winner of the Action Accelerator-ENACTUS World Cup (Silicon Valley).

### (Rizalina K. Araral 7 April 2020)

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department of science and technology - forest products research and development institute

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Multi-awarded bamboo company thanks FPRDI for support

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Bambuhay is currently the country's largest producer of bamboo straws. (Photo source: Bambuhay). "Bambuhay", a bamboo-based social enterprise which has won several international awards in the last two years, recently thanked the Department of Science and Technology's Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI) for its technical support to the company.

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What has been tried on similar or tangential challenges globally? 

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What has been tried on similar or tangential challenges globally? 

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Based on our research, the following programs have been implemented by foreign countries to foster their bamboo industry.

1. The Bamboo Mission (http://indianforester.in/index.php/indianforester/article/viewFile/714/639)
- community and private sector participation in bamboo development
- support to activities focused on conservation of bamboo resources
- Plant propagation
- Enhancement of the production base Management Information System, inventory, and database development
- Promotion of handicrafts
- Industrial utilization and entrepreneurship development
- Bamboo utilization in building material and low cost housing
- Development of marketing and trading plan and systems

2. Sichuan Sustainable Bamboo Enterprise Programme (https://www.inbar.int/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/1513820853.pdf)
- Bamboo Processing Centre: provides capacity building and training facilities for beneficiaries on preservation, processing, and finishing techniques.
- demonstration and training through households and cooperatives.
- coordinated effort to provide technical assistance and business development services
- upscaling successful models and experiences
- (see paper for the achievements)

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What parts of the challenge are focused on and what are ignored (specific populations, areas, etc.)? 

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What parts of the challenge are focused on and what are ignored (specific populations, areas, etc.)? 

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We observe that much of the policies on bamboo are focused on artificially boosting demand. One instance is when President Arroyo, through EO 879, mandated that 25% of all furnitures in public primary and secondary schools should be made from bamboo.

There is little focus on organically boosting demand, in such a way that consumers feel that they desire bamboo products because of their inherent advantages.

Additionally, there is little focus on linking provincial artisan manufacturers of engineered bamboo products with urban consumers.

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Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines

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MALACAÑANG
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 879
CREATING THE PHILIPPINE BAMBOO INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (PBIDC) TO PROMOTE THE BAMBOO INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND DIRECTING THE USE OF BAMBOO FOR AT LEAST TWENTY FIVE (25%) PERCENT OF THE DESK AND OTHER FURNITURE REQUIREMENTS OF PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND PRIORITIZING THE USE OF BAMBOO IN FURNITURE, FIXTURES AND OTHER CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS OF GOVERNMENT FACILITIES AND ALLOCATING FUNDS THEREFORE AND OTHER PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, the government is committed to protect and conserve the national patrimony and advance the right of the people to a healthful environment;

WHEREAS, the government is committed to promote industrialization based on agricultural development and agrarian reform through industries that make full and efficient use of human and natural resources and which are competitive in both domestic and foreign markets;

WHEREAS, the Philippines has committed to reforest at least 500,000 hectares with bamboo as part of the 1 million hectares of designated areas as its contribution to the ASEAN commitment of 20 million hectares of new forest by 2020 as part of its initiatives to improve the environment;

WHEREAS, it has been established that planting and use of bamboo will significantly contribute to the mitigation of climate change and disaster management considering its carbon capture capability and cheaper reforestation cost. Further, bamboo can be easily transformed into a cash crop for farmers and community-based forest management agreement holders who engaged in its cultivation thereby alleviating poverty;

WHEREAS, the growing advocacy for green products is fueling the rapid growth of the US$ 8 billion dollar per annum market for traditional and non-traditional bamboo products, is fast becoming a cost effective and attractive complement and/or alternative to plastic, metal and wood materials and can generate more jobs and self-employment opportunities in both rural and urban areas;

WHEREAS, there is a need to assist Local Government Units (LGU) to promote and establish bamboo plantations, crafts and products in flood and landslide prone areas, idle and marginalized agricultural lands, upland areas particularly covered by the Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) and the resettlement of informal settlers from vital waterways;

WHEREAS, there is a need to aggressively promote the product development and market access of bamboo products to sustain the development of the bamboo industry;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue, of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC) - The Philippine Bamboo Industry Development shall be made a priority program of the government and the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC) is hereby created to provide the over-all policy and program directions of the program for all stakeholders.

Composition - The PBIDC shall be composed of the following:

a. Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry as Chair;

b. Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources;

c. Secretary of the Department of Agriculture;

d. Secretary of the Department of Education;

e. Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology;

f. Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment;

g. Chair of the Executive Committee;

h. League of Municipalities of the Philippines;

i. Two (2) Representatives from Non-Governmental Organizations;

j. One (1) Representative each from two (2) Private Industry Associations.

Executive Committee. - To assist the PBDIC in terms of program/project identification and resource generation, an Executive Committee, headed by the DTI Undersecretary for Regional Operations and Development Group (RODG) shall likewise be created with the membership composition to be identified by the PBDIC.

Functions of the Executive Committee. - The Executive Committee shall direct the preparation of the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Plan 2010-2020 and shall identify, prioritize and recommend initial strategic interventions, research directions and critical data needs while the Development Plan is being drawn up.

Secretariat. - The Executive Committee shall be assisted by a Bamboo Technical Working Group which will serve as the Secretariat headed by the Executive Director of the Cottage Industry Technology Center (CITC) and composed of representatives designated by the members of the PBDIC. The Secretariat shall identify the gaps in the bamboo industry supply-value chain and determine the most appropriate activities to address those gaps.

SECTION 2. Department of Education. - The Department of Education (DEP-ED) shall procure the equivalent of at least twenty percent (20%) of the annual school desks and arm chairs requirement of all public elementary and secondary schools nationwide.

SECTION 3. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through the Forest Management Bureau (FMB), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), and other concerned offices shall use bamboo as the planting material for at least twenty percent (20%) of its annual reforestation and rehabilitation areas especially in provinces and towns which are engaged in or have the potential to engage in bamboo-based industries or where trees are difficult to grow because of poor site quality, susceptibility to erosion or adverse and steep gradients. DENR, through the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) and other concerned offices, shall continuously generate bamboo production technology which shall be transferred and disseminated to farmers.

Department of Agriculture. - The Department of Agriculture (DA) shall identify idle and marginalized agricultural areas suitable for bamboo plantations. This should be done without sacrificing areas used for food production. DA shall assist in establishing bamboo nurseries and in bamboo propagation with focus on bamboo shoots production.

SECTION 5. Department of Science and Technology. - The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), through its appropriate bureaus and offices like the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI) and Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), shall undertake the research and transfer of technologies which can reduce production costs and increase the saleability of bamboo products such as bamboo shoots processing and packaging, alternative adhesives and finishes, and effective yet affordable treatment and preservation techniques. It shall likewise allocate twenty percent (20%) of its MSME assistance funds such as SET-UP and TAPI Venture Capital to bamboo based enterprises.

SECTION 6. Department of Labor and Employment - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall identify and enroll in the program special groups or organizations such as organizations of persons with disabilities, the marginalized, and the like, who are in a very strategic position to advance the bamboo industry.

SECTION 7. League of Municipalities of the Philippines. - The League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) shall provide coordinative support in partnership with LGUs for the development of the bamboo industry.

SECTION 8. Non-Governmental Organizations. - Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) and private sector representatives shall lead in advocating the planting and utilization of bamboo nationwide and in providing market information, research market development and other similar undertakings.

SECTION 9. Funding. - The initial funding of Twenty Million Pesos (P20, 000,000.00) to support the operations of the PBIDC shall be provided by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to the DTI-RODG for its initial operation and administration. The annual budgetary requirements of the PBIDC shall be appropriated to the DTI-RODG while the budgetary requirements of the cooperating agencies shall be incorporated in their respective budget as locally-funded projects until 2020. The PBIDC may raise funds from other sources for specific projects as may be authorized by law.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - All executive issuances, rules, regulations or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with any of the provisions hereof are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. - This Executive Order shall take effect immediately upon its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 14 th day of May in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Ten.

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
President of the Phiippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) LEANDRO R. MENDOZA
Executive Secretary
Source: Malacañang Records Office
Office of the President of the Philippines. (2010). [Executive Order Nos. : 831-910]. Manila : Malcañang Records Office.

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Executive Order No. 879, s. 2010 | GOVPH

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Signed on May 14, 2010: Creating the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC) to promote the Bamboo Industry Development Project and directing the use of bamboo for at least twenty five (25%) percent of the desk and other furniture requirements of public elementary and secondary schools and prioritizing the use of bamboo in furniture, fixtures and other construction requirements of government facilities and allocating funds therefore and other purposes.

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What is on the horizon that might impact collective solutions? What future scenarios might play out?

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What is on the horizon that might impact collective solutions? What future scenarios might play out?

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There is an increasing drive for sustainable consumption owing to increasing awareness for engineered bamboo products. Additionally, the Philippines has--over the past decade--been one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Assuming these trends continue, we project that demand for engineered bamboo products is bound to increase as people may believe bamboo to be a sustainable material, and have more income to spend on bamboo.

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Who or what is not being served and what is missing to bridge that gap? What actions can be taken to fill the gaps?

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Who or what is not being served and what is missing to bridge that gap? What actions can be taken to fill the gaps?

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Provincial artisans in the bamboo industry need something that:

1.) Promotes the presence of provincial artisans and the quality of their works; and
2.) Increases demand for engineered bamboo products

Creating an online platform that showcases the quality of provincial artisanal engineered bamboo products, and one where consumers may buy products from the same platform may simultaneously meet these goals. This is because an easily accessible platform increases awareness and bridges the information gap between producers and consumers.

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What is missing (specific regulations, knowledge sharing, new efforts, partnership, etc.) that would further link up the solutions and achieve greater collective impact? 

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What is missing (specific regulations, knowledge sharing, new efforts, partnership, etc.) that would further link up the solutions and achieve greater collective impact? 

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We believe that we are missing a specialized online commerce platform geared towards provincially-sourced artisanal  engineered bamboo products. Technology and the ways businesses work continue to advance, and there is a need to support provincial artisans who cannot keep up with the technological advancement.

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What is being overlooked? What are the unintended negative consequences of the existing efforts? What specific key opportunities could unlock future impact?

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What is being overlooked? What are the unintended negative consequences of the existing efforts? What specific key opportunities could unlock future impact?

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The long-term value of bamboo and its properties are often overlooked.

As we can see, bamboo is a sustainable material because it is organic, grows fast relative to most hardwood species, is endemic and plentiful in the Philippines, and is highly durable.

However, its steep price tag, coupled with a dearth of mainstream and easily accessible information, is a turn-off for many consumers. Because of this, the market relies on non-sustainable materials - such as hardwood and plastic.

Though with the consumers' growing appetite for sustainability, there are growth and livelihood opportunities waiting to be exploited by provincial artisans in the bamboo industry.

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From your research and interviews, what key lessons could you share with anyone who wants to impact change in this sector? 

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From your research and interviews, what key lessons could you share with anyone who wants to impact change in this sector? 

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Technological advancement is an emerging factor to approach climate action.

Ensure long-term continuity of the advocacy by partnering up with organizations and corporations that contribute mostly to protecting the environment.

Collaborate and innovate alongside organizations and businesses with similar advocacies to attain more efficient production through external economies of scale.

Begin striving towards fulfilling short-term, small-scale, more achievable goals that are in line with the overall vision of climate action.

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Where are the biggest opportunities for impact? 

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Where are the biggest opportunities for impact? 

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The biggest opportunities for impact lie on two fronts.

1. Environment - The quick maturity of bamboo allows for quicker carbon sequestration relative to other plant materials utilized for production. Mainstreaming bamboo as an engineered bamboo product will contribute towards the growth of a bamboo-intensive industry towards the goal of net-zero emissions.

2. Livelihood - Mainstreaming bamboo as a material is bound to generate new jobs and increase the incomes of provincial artisans due to the potential value which bamboo could unlock due to its durability and sustainability.

3. Consumers - The virtual platform not only expands the market opportunities of the bamboo market. It also bridges the information gap between producers and consumers. In summary, an online virtual platform that showcases the quality of artisanal engineered bamboo products increases consumer confidence in these products.

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What resources and people have you connected with to understand the challenge and solutions landscape?

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What resources and people have you connected with to understand the challenge and solutions landscape?

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We incorporated the vision of The Bamboo Company (TBC) to have an eco-friendly lifestyle around the Philippines where marine and forest life can thrive peacefully and live unharmed by plastic products. The brand philosophy of the TBC aims to reduce plastic pollution and rural poverty through the sustainable utilization and promotion of bamboo.

The Bamboo Company (TBC) is a social enterprise that aims to solve plastic pollution and rural poverty through the use of bamboo. Their bamboo products are sold through online marketplaces wherein they also invite organizations, with similar advocacies, for collaborations.

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With every purchase worth Php 2000, you can help us plant one bamboo seedling under your name. Make your purchase both impactful and eco-friendly! Click to know more!

Close your eyes and imagine yourself on a small pump boat. You feel the sun rays' warmth on your face while the sea breeze blows gently through your hair. You're on your way to a small island. You dip your fingers into the waves as you look on the vast expanse of water, when all of a sudden, your friend lightly taps you on your shoulder and points at something in the distance. You see three dark spots moving towards your direction. You are unsure of how to react and you let the anticipation build until finally it becomes clear: it's a pod of dolphins, now swimming parallel to your tiny boat as your welcoming committee of sorts. 'Enchanting,' you catch yourself whispering. But somehow, your chest begins to tighten and you get an unsettling feeling in your stomach. This is too good to be true.

Now open your eyes. This story was once the reality for a small island in Mindanao. But now, that's all that it is -- a story. And together with other anecdotes from the once stunning sights in our country, they might just remain in the past, never to be experienced in this lifetime. Once you see the current state of the waters of the island in the story, you'll certainly know why no dolphin would want to come remotely near the shores.

Thus, our company was born: an eco-friendly start-up that aspires to safeguard the beautiful stories we can still experience today, as well as to bring back those that we have lost. We aim to preserve these stories of the Philippines by reducing plastic wastes and providing an environment-friendly lifestyle of exploring the world. Our vision is to have clean water around the Philippines where marine life can thrive peacefully and live unharmed by plastic wastes.

We are The Bamboo Company, and this is our Eco-friendly Switch Story.

Now it's time to begin yours!

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With every purchase worth Php 2000, you can help us plant one bamboo seedling under your name. Make your purchase both impactful and eco-friendly! Click to know more! Close your eyes and imagine yourself on a small pump boat. You feel the sun rays' warmth on your face while the sea breeze blows gently through your hair.

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Who else do you need to speak with, and what do you still need to learn in order to fill in your knowledge gaps? 

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Who else do you need to speak with, and what do you still need to learn in order to fill in your knowledge gaps? 

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To improve our impact gap and proposal, our group consulted with the CEO of BAMBUHAY, which is a social enterprise that aims to solve poverty, plastic pollution, and deforestation through bamboos.

Our group also talked with a project coordinator from the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainability Development, INC. (PCEPSDI) that provided us with insights related to bamboo logistics and its furniture industry.

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What can you do to improve your understanding of this challenge or to take action to fill a gap? 

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What can you do to improve your understanding of this challenge or to take action to fill a gap? 

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Our group will have to research more about the market linkage platform. This includes the technicality of how can we generate revenue from advertisements and partial commission from our artisans. We will have to look more into building our branding to entice potential bamboo customers to check our partner artisans.

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What is the projected scope of the challenge in the future? 

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What is the projected scope of the challenge in the future? 

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Experts predict that bamboo will become a mainstay in the market. As society continue to advocate for sustainability, firms are modifying their production processes to accommodate the environment. Firms are looking into alternatives for their future line of products, and bamboo is at the center of limelight. According to researchers, the Philippines is eyeing to become a major player in the bamboo trade.

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What can be learned from the successes and failures of these efforts? What do those involved attribute to the cause of their results?

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What can be learned from the successes and failures of these efforts? What do those involved attribute to the cause of their results?

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There are many learnings that can be derived from the solutions mentioned above. These are:

1. there is an opportunity for upskilling farmers in terms of  processing, finances, and business development
2. close working relationship with private and public sector is crucial for creating a sustainable solution
3. demonstrations must be held to show transparency in employment opportunities
4. a robust database must be created to measure the performance of the industry
5. stronger extension efforts are required (finance, loans, etc.)

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Internationally, bamboo is receiving great attention. Due to a paradigm shift that emphasizes on sustainability, consumers are now demanding for products made from materials that are less strenuous on the environment. People are looking at bamboo as the next big thing as it has great mechanical, environmental, and socioeconomic benefits. However, in the Philippines, local demand remains stagnant and local bamboo artisans are struggling to connect with their market.

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The lowly but sturdy bamboo is getting a share of the limelight in the international market.

Mindanao's bamboo industry recently received an International Commodity Certification (ICC) which will allow it to penetrate the American billion-dollar construction market.

Rod Bioco, Chairperson of the Bukidnon Giant Bamboo Resources Corporation, said the Philippines can supply a portion of the United States' annual 3,000 container requirement.

Workers attend to bamboos that are being readied for manufacturing several products. (Photo from MinDA Sec. Manny Piñol's Facebook account)

The opportunity also translates to more income generating opportunities as processing facilities are tapped to transform raw materials into items for export.

"It's going to be irresponsible if we are going to ask people to plant, plant, plant if there is no post harvest facility so otherwise they become poor poor poor it has to be hand in hand," Bioco explained in the recently held Mindanao Bamboo Summit.

Earnings are expected to reach P100,000 per hectare for Mindanao farmers or a staggering P100-billion yearly for the industry.

The Bamboo Development Program of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDa) aims to transform a million hectares of watershed and logged-in areas in Mindanao into bamboo plantations.

"Kawayan (Bamboo) in the Philippines has never really been elevated to a level where it is considered a high value crop. MinDA supports converting semi-processed bamboo materials into high-value products as the best option to boost the local bamboo industry," said MinDa Chairman Emmanuel Piñol.

While the program targets to earn millions by developing plantations and processing facilities, the country's biggest gain is the protection of Mindanao watersheds, forests and headwaters from the threat of deforestation.

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Philippine bamboo penetrates the international market

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The lowly but sturdy bamboo is getting a share of the limelight in the international market. Mindanao's bamboo industry recently received an International Commodity Certification (ICC) which will allow it to penetrate the American billion-dollar construction market. Rod Bioco, Chairperson of the B

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According to this study, there is little demand for bamboo products because people are unaware of its qualities and benefits.

In addition, small bamboo artisans cannot connect with their market due to their limited capabilities in areas such as digital literacy, e-commerce, and digital marketing. Most especially, they do not have the capital for the digitisation of their business. Given the immobility of consumers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the artisans' inability to digitize will eventually cost them business.

Lastly, there is a negative perception of bamboo. It is known as the "symbol of poverty".

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/David-Midmore/publication/274384440_Silvicultural_management_of_bamboo_in_the_Philippines_and_Australia_for_shoots_and_timber/links/58fba413a6fdccde9894d820/Silvicultural-management-of-bamboo-in-the-Philippines-and-Australia-for-shoots-and-timber.pdf#page=95

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Poverty Trap

Some of the top performing bamboo provinces in Philippines also happen to be rife with poverty. The poverty rate of Iloilo - where Maasin, the bamboo capital of the Philippines, is located - is estimated to be 12 percent. The poverty rates for Bukidnon and Davao are 43.3 percent and 48 percent, respectively.

If this problem continues to persist, poverty will continue to plague the farmers and artisans in this area.

Information Gap

There is a popular notion that bamboo is a "poor man's material" owing to its use in many rural communities. Additionally, bamboo is relatively more expensive relative to other furniture products, particularly those made from plastic. As such, bamboo faces a serious problem: it is an expensive material, but it is also seen as a material for poor people.

Additionally, there is little information on bamboo manufacturers, especially on provincial artisans. Considering most bamboo manufacturers make bamboo furniture on a per order basis, a lack of information on where people can source bamboo furniture is bad for the sector.

These misconceptions need to be resolved so that provincial bamboo artisans are able to find a market for their products.

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1. These solutions were implemented before the pandemic. This means there was no provision for the digitization of the artisans' businesses.
2. Most solutions are focused on the supply aspect of the bamboo trade. More efforts should be made to mainstream bamboo products in the domestic market. Also, there is still a persisting disconnect between the producers and buyers.
3. Market linkages initiatives from the government is limited to Govt Office - bamboo artisan transactions.

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As of 12/18/2021

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As of 12/18/2021

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Founder of Bambuhay

Mr. Gervasa warned the group on the lack of support from the government and the significance of technology when he built Bambuhay.

As of 12/03/2021

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Climate Reality Leader and Sustainability Science & Strategy Advocate

During our consultation, Mr. Dumdum advised the group to be aware of the environmental laws and other legal processes related to the bamboo industry. Moreover, he also mentioned to initially focus on the premium market since most consumers cannot afford bamboo furniture.

As of 12/03/2021