NewsConsultation workshop for DRC’s bamboo and rattan sectors
Consultation meeting seeks to identify support activities to aid the growth of the bamboo and rattan sectors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Ministry of Agriculture of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in collaboration with INBAR jointly organized a consultation workshop for the framing of support activities for the development of DRC’s bamboo and rattan sectors from 15 to 16 June 2023 in Kinshasa.
The main objective of workshop was to bring together diverse stakeholders in the DRC and offer them a framework for consultation, analysis and exchange on the national strategies of the bamboo and rattan sectors.
The workshop comprehensively took stock of all the bamboo and rattan initiatives carried out and/or in progress in the DRC; analyzed the regulatory framework governing the exploitation of bamboo and rattan; and noted the difficulties and bottlenecks that hinder development of the sectors.
One useful outcome from this workshop was identifying the specific administrations that could be useful in supporting the foundational development of the sectors, particularly for conducting an inventory of the native bamboo resource in the country, but also for investigating related value chains before reviewing the issue of designing and implementing national strategies.
The workshop provided a platform for participants to draw up a joint roadmap for the national government and INBAR and subsequently offer suggestions in a participatory manner on the main orientations of sustainable development in the country going forward.
Funded by INBAR as part of a special grant to the Government of the DRC following the accession of the DRC to INBAR as its 50th Member State, the workshop offered key stakeholders and partners a forum for analysis and discussion on the challenges and opportunities facing the DRC’s sustainable development.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, developing the bamboo and rattan sectors will have significant impacts on achieving the country’s environmental goals, allowing the country to scale up efforts to mitigate climate change, restore degraded lands, curb deforestation, protect national parks and boost carbon sequestration.
At the socio-economic level, championing bamboo and rattan by integrating them into new policies and strategies will also strengthen local livelihoods thanks to the creation of new green jobs for women and youth. Bamboo and rattan are also versatile tools that support the DRC’s international commitments such as the Paris Agreement, COMIFAC 2 convergence action plan, Bonn AFR100 challenge, REDD+ and more.
