If you travel to rural parts of Fiji, you will find bamboo plants growing incalculably – a plant that is sustainable, renewable, and versatile.
Labelled as one of the fastest growing plants on earth, bamboo plants have been used for generations as a building material in Fiji.
Villages in Naitasiri and Namosi today still proudly exhibit their bamboo-built homes with a few displaying beautiful woven designs – a tradesmark of a few artisans.
On September 18, Fiji, alongside many people around the world, recognised and celebrated the remarkable potential of bamboo
World Bamboo Day which is observed annually on September 18 since 2009 serves a global platform to highlighting the diverse benefits of bamboo.
To celebrate the event, the government and its partners gathered at Colo-i-Suva Park to commemorate the day’s significance.
Minister for Fisheries and Forests, Alitia Bainivalu, in her address for the special day, said the versatile plant was integral to sustainability, environmental health and economic progress.
“Its rapid growth, ecological advantages and wide range of applications, from construction to art, make bamboo a key resource for our future,” she said.
“In Fiji bamboo has been a cornerstone of our culture and daily life.”
Fiji is home to approximately 20 bamboo species which includes the indigenous Polynesian bamboo or the bitu dina (schizostachyum glaucifolium).
Bamboo use in Fiji span through culinary use, construction, and even various cultural applications with many of the bamboo species being introduced in the mid-1800s becoming an integral part of Fiji’s ecosystem.
“Some species such as the punting pole bamboo (Bambusa tuldoides), the giant bamboo (dendrocalamus giganteus) and the tali bamboo (gigantochloa apus) remains rare and localised,” she said.
“Our research and development division are committed to exploring and expanding the applications of these species, enhancing their benefits to our communities.”
A way in which the government of Fiji is enhancing the benefits of bamboo locally is through the introduction of the Fiji Bamboo Project.
This project is funded by the New Zealand Government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (NZ MFAT), and Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade under the Low Emissions and Climate Resilient Development Pacific regional program.
The project according to Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is expected to support the sustainable and inclusive production and use of bamboo as a construction material that can be used to build resilient, innovative, sustainable, and affordable housing in the country.
The project is also expected to address Fiji’s shortage of resilient and affordable housing and reduce the negative environmental impact of the construction sector while supporting the creation of employment and business opportunities across the bamboo value chain in all parts of Fiji.
Bamboo according to GGGI has been used extensively in housing technology throughout the Asia Pacific region and can be used to build very resilient housing including housing that can withstand Category 5 typhoons.
GGGI in supporting Fiji, hopes to implement the Fiji Bamboo Project with close collaboration with a coalition of local and international non-government organisations.
GGGI country representative for Fiji, Norbert Maass highlighted the organisation’s efforts on the project.
“We at GGGI share Fiji Government’s views that there are a lot of potential in developing different bamboo products and its use and applications in Fiji,” he said.
“At GGGI we have a broad portfolio of projects, and we work in a lot of sectors in the Pacific and in Fiji.
“The Fiji Bamboo Project as we call it is one of the projects that we’re working on that is dear to us because we see hands-on application and impact, we can do through it.”
The project started in June this year with a funding of $US 400,000 ($F884,687).
“The focus is on the use of bamboo in construction as a sustainable, resilient low-cost material that can replace imported materials, provide employment opportunities to women, youth, marginalised groups and farmers in Fiji,” he said.
He said they needed to do leg work which is being done through research with the Fiji National University (FNU).
They are also doing inventory, looking at how much bamboo there is, and the type of bamboo species available locally.
“Once we basically have that built and set-up over the first few months, we will try to look at the application possibility with the private sector and with the partners to see if we can roll it out and see some pilots, and first applications in construction,” he said.
“We gain experience where we work with the Base Bahay Foundation who have build thousands of bamboo-based homes in the Philippines.
“In terms of storm and earthquake resilience being tested, we have something that applies to Fiji and hopefully, we establish an industry here that benefits low-construction costs that makes it more affordable for Fijians to get homes.”
Someone who is ecstatic about the new project is Sunnyville Bamboo founder and director, Sukulu Soko.
Mr Soko who has a wealth of knowledge on the use of bamboo, creates bamboo crafts.
He has not only taught communities to understand the significance of bamboo but has even provided training for ministry officials.
He like many associated with the use of bamboo in Fiji is happy about the development because after years of lobbying it has now found its footing – going into construction development through the project.
“I’m glad today, after years of struggling and lobbying for bamboo, to be recognised,” Mr Soko said.
“I’ve been trying to advocate on this. Here in Fiji, we have traditional knowledge of bamboo with some even having bamboo as their totemic plant.”
He said with Fiji experiencing cyclones and with countries like the Philippines and Columbia facing natural disasters like super typhoons – using the type of technology they use in the constructions of their homes could be helpful in Fiji.
“Using those scientifically proven and documented technology we can adopt their research and use it here in Fiji,” he said.
“With that we can lift the standard of living in Fiji and we will be able to create our own product.
“When we become experts in doing our own product, we then focus on creating small micro-medium enterprises that can assist locals.”
Mr Soko said bamboo was the best plant for climate change adaptation and it coul be used with the right research.
This project is in line with Government’s stand on eradicating informal settlements and reducing the vulnerability to the impact of climate change by supplying affordable and climate resilient housing over the next ten years.
