The Ministry of Forestry plans to establish a bamboo plantation to serve as a genetic pool for Fiji’s bamboo species.

This move aims to improve bamboo resource management and utilization.

Minister for Forestry Alitia Bainivalu has outlined key initiatives for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

These include creating a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for bamboo inventory and conducting inventories across provinces to enhance bamboo management.

Another major initiative involves research and development trials to test bamboo’s durability in construction with data collection and analysis planned to explore its potential for building resilient structures.

Bainivalu states that bamboo is central to Fijian culture and daily life, with about 20 species, including the indigenous Polynesian Bamboo, or ‘Bitu Dina’ (Schizostachyum glaucifolium).

Some species, like the Punting Pole Bamboo (Bambusa tuldoides), the Giant Bamboo (Dendrocalamus giganteus), and the Tali Bamboo (Gigantochloa apus) are rare and localized.

The Ministry’s Research and Development Division aims to expand the use of these species to benefit local communities.

The Minister says that bamboo research in Fiji began in the late 1970s with projects funded by the Government of the People’s Republic of China in Vunidawa, Naitasiri.

These projects, she says taught local youth to use bamboo for furniture and weaving with the Forestry Department later finding effective treatments against insects and fungal attacks.

In the mid-1990s, internationally recognized bamboo species were introduced from Australia to address vulnerabilities in the local ‘Bitu ni Valagi’ (Bambusa vulgaris).

These species were planted in Colo-i-Suva, Deuba, and Wakaya Island, laying the foundation for ongoing research.

Bainivalu adds that Fiji’s commitment to bamboo development was further strengthened in September 2020 when it joined the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR), an intergovernmental body promoting sustainable development through bamboo and rattan.

Fiji’s role in INBAR was highlighted during the UNFCCC COP23, with an event showcasing bamboo’s potential to address climate challenges.

Looking ahead, the Ministry will focus on developing the bamboo plantation to promote sustainable management and support research efforts.