Democratic Republic of the Congo- International Bamboo and Rattan Organization

KEY FACTS

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) joined INBAR on 1 March 2023.
DRC’s designated focal point with INBAR is the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI).
There are six species of bamboo in the DRC, four of which are native (Oldeania alpina, Olyra latifolia, Oreobambos buchwaldii and Oxytenanthera abyssinica) and two introduced species (Bambusa vulgaris and Dendrocalamus asper) (Bahru and Ding, 2021)
DRC has several species of rattan including Laccosperma secundiflorum, Laccosperma robustum and Eremospatha macrocarpa.
Bamboo is currently used in the DRC in the form of waterproof roofing, huts, rafters, beams, rafts, musical instruments, firewood, carpet, bed, furniture and the manufacture of pipes.
The main bamboo commodities imported are bamboo plywood and bamboo articles of daily use. Bamboo products exported by DRC mainly include bamboo flooring and bamboo charcoal.