Bamboo - a weed?

Bamboo in Africa: weed or savior?

Are bamboo plants a significant part of the bioeconomy?

A bioeconomy as defined by EU, comprises of those parts of the economy that use renewable biological resources from land and sea – such as crops, forest, animals, and micro-organisms – to produce food, materials and energy.

It is clear that from this definition that plants are included. To be more particular, the bamboo plant is popularly referenced. In fact, Bamboo is a name for over 1,400 species of giant grasses in 115 different genera. All bamboos have wood-like stems. Bamboo can grow anywhere. And that is where the challenges are.

Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth, which can be up to 1 m in a day. However, the growth rate is dependent on local soil and climatic conditions, as well as species. A more typical growth rate for many commonly cultivated bamboos in temperate climates is in the range of 3–10 centimetres per day during the growing period. With this information, an initiative called AFR-100 spearheaded and led by African Nations aims to use Bamboo plants to achieve landscape restoration. Reason being that the integration of bamboo plants in these degraded lands is expected to be a tool for positive economic development while reversing environmental degradation and climate change across the continent. Although bamboos are successful in reversing environmental

Bamboo in Africa: weed or savior?

degradation, some species show an invasive behaviour. When bamboos become dominant, they outcompete other plant species, particularly trees, decreasing its density and species diversity.

With the AFR-100 initiative, there is little information on what exact species of the Bamboo will be used. If so, is that species invasive on African climate and local soil conditions? This is important to know because in degraded forests with relatively low tree canopy cover, bamboos rapidly colonize open areas and limit co-occurring native tree saplings.

Although the land area occupied by bamboo has increased significantly over the last two decades, bamboo is still cultivated in many countries and remains a forest resource that serves as an excellent substitute for timber products and provides a multitude of food and non-food uses, hence forming an integral part of the bioeconomy.

This societal and economic significance has led to increased bamboo cultivation globally. However, there is significant evidence of the rapid expansion of bamboo hectarage, both intentional and by encroachment, in native and non-native countries which has to be taken into account when introducing it for reversal environmental degradation.

Pros and cons it is called!