Technical support for the implementation of a bamboo pilot project in Guyana: technical, environmental and social feasibility

Guyana is one of the most forest-rich countries in the world, with approximately 85% of its territory covered by forests and more than 99% of its original forest area remaining, according to the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030. This vast forest cover shelters an exceptional level of biological diversity and represents a critical asset for climate change mitigation and sustainable development.

At the same time, the country’s non-oil extractive economy relies heavily on activities such as mining and agriculture, which have contributed significantly to national GDP and export revenues. The mining sector alone accounts for approximately 16% of GDP and over half of Guyana’s export earnings. However, these activities have resulted in an estimated 200,000 hectares of degraded land requiring rehabilitation or reforestation.

Within this context, and under the Euroclima framework, International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR) was mobilized by Expertise France to implement, together with the Guyana Forest Commission and the Ministry of Natural Resources, the project “Piloting bamboo for land restoration and sustainable livelihoods in Guyana”.

The project aims to strengthen national capacities in bamboo-based land restoration while exploring bamboo’s potential to support sustainable livelihoods in communities near mined-out areas. As a fast-growing and self-regenerative grass, bamboo provides key ecosystem services and contributes to global restoration and sustainability targets, while offering concrete socio-economic co-benefits.

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