Empowering rural communities through bamboo: Training on propagation kicks off Cameroon

Participants in the North Region of Cameroon learned about bamboo propagation for restoring degraded land, diversifying income sources and building climate resilience.

As part of the ACREGIR project, INBAR organized a two-day practical training on vegetative bamboo propagation for members of the SCOOP NARRAL cooperative group at the Rural Resource Center (RRC) in Bawan, North Region of Cameroon.

Held from 26 to 27 September 2025, the training aimed to strengthen local capacity in bamboo propagation techniques and promote bamboo as a sustainable resource for restoration, livelihoods and climate resilience. A total of 18 cooperative members, including 15 women and 6 youths, participated in the sessions facilitated by INBAR technical experts and community stewards.

Enhancing skills for sustainable bamboo production

Participants received hands-on training in two key vegetative propagation techniques: Culm cuttings and macro-proliferation. These methods enable the mass production of bamboo planting material even in regions where flowering and seed availability are limited.

The practical sessions covered the selection and treatment of culms, preparation of propagation beds, planting and maintenance of cuttings and transplanting of sprouts into polybags. Through the macro-proliferation method, participants also learned how to divide bamboo rhizomes to generate thousands of genetically identical seedlings from just a few parent plants, a vital technique for scaling up bamboo production and restoration efforts.

Following detailed demonstrations, participants practiced each stage of the process in small groups. This participatory approach enhanced both their technical competence and confidence to apply these methods independently within their communities.

“This training equips us to multiply bamboo on our own and contribute to reforestation around the park,” shared Mme. Farkang Ngangue, Deputy President of the NARRAL cooperative group. “We now have the knowledge to turn bamboo into a source of income and an environmental solution.”

Bawan RCC: A local hub for innovation and restoration

The Bawan RRC was established in 2021 by CIFOR-ICRAF under the ReSI-Noc project. Located near Bénoué National Park, it serves as a community-managed hub for learning, nursery management and sustainable land use practices.

In 2023, INBAR, CIFOR-ICRAF and the SCOOP NARRAL cooperative signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding, observed by the Conservation Service of the Bénoué National Park, to strengthen the role of the RRC as a bamboo production and training hub.

Under this partnership, a permanent bamboo nursery was established and equipped with a solar-powered borehole system to facilitate irrigation, especially benefiting the cooperative’s predominantly women members. The system also serves neighboring communities.

Since its establishment, the nursery has produced over 25,000 bamboo seedlings through seed propagation. These have been distributed to local farmers for integration into agroforestry systems and land restoration activities in and around the Bénoué National Park under the ACREGIR framework.

Towards a greener, more resilient future

Vegetative propagation of bamboo is a cornerstone for sustainable bamboo value chains. It ensures rapid establishment, genetic fidelity and high survival rates, making it an efficient method for mass production of planting material across degraded landscapes.

By equipping cooperatives such as SCOOP NARRAL with this knowledge, INBAR and its partners are empowering rural communities to drive restoration, diversify income sources and build climate resilience, laying the foundation for a greener and more inclusive future across northern Cameroon.