NewsINBAR, UNIDO and ENAM celebrate World Bamboo Day in Cameroon
World Bamboo Day celebrations in Cameroon highlight the potential of bamboo and rattan in driving local industrialization and sustainable development.
The INBAR Central Africa Regional Office (CARO), in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the National School of Administration and Magistracy (ENAM), celebrated World Bamboo Day 2024 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The event was strategically held on the ENAM campus, leveraging its mission of training high-ranking officials, offering continuous education for alumni, and conducting applied research. This setting provided an ideal platform to showcase the potential of bamboo and rattan to future decision-makers and administrators, while raising awareness among ENAM students and faculty about the challenges and opportunities for industrial development within the bamboo and rattan value chain.
As part of the celebration, INBAR and UNIDO co-hosted a debate on “Opportunities in the Bamboo and Rattan Value Chain for Local Industrialization through the Valorization of Non-Wood Forest Products.” This event not only commemorated World Bamboo Day, held annually on September 18, but also aligned with Cameroon’s broader industrialization objectives, as outlined in the National Development Strategy 2030 (SND30). The SND30 identifies industrialization as a core driver for Cameroon’s emergence and sustainable economic growth.
The conference attracted over 300 participants, including 275 students from ENAM’s 40th promotion, alongside representatives from various governmental bodies such as the Ministry of Forests and Wildlife (MINFOF), the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts (MINPMEESA), the Ministry of External Relations (MINREX), the Special Equipment and Intermunicipal Intervention Fund (FEICOM), and the National Mining Company (SONAMINES).
Rene Kaam, Regional Director of INBAR CARO, emphasized the urgent need to rethink Central Africa’s industrialization model, particularly in Cameroon, to better address environmental and socio-economic issues. “Cameroon is rich in bamboo, with 1.2 million hectares and 15 documented species. Bamboo is not a new resource; it simply needs better documentation and valorization,” Kaam remarked, underscoring the untapped potential of bamboo as a sustainable industrial resource.
Mme Sol Nadagè, Deputy Director for Promotion and Transformation of Non-Wood Forest Products at MINFOF, noted, “The government has made significant progress in its bamboo exploitation strategy, with clearly defined priorities and actions, as well as coordination and monitoring mechanisms for implementation and future perspectives.” Speakers also highlighted the bamboo and rattan industry as a solution to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including poverty eradication, clean energy, sustainable cities, responsible consumption, climate action, and partnerships for sustainable development. The development of the bamboo value chain also supports the achievement of SDG 9, which focuses on building resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation.
The celebration of World Bamboo Day 2024 at ENAM reinforces the excellent diplomatic relations between Cameroon and INBAR and highlights the country’s recognition of bamboo as a key resource for sustainable development within the framework of SND30.
