Bamboo in MyanmarBamboo in Myanmar

Aung Zaw MoeAung Zaw MoeResearch Officer,

Forest Research Institute

1. IntroductionCONTENT

2. Bamboo Resources3. Commercial Important Bamboos of Myanmar4. Bamboo Forest Area and Productivity5. Techniques of Bamboo Propagation6. Establishment of Bamboo Plantation7. Threatened Bamboo Resources8 S t i bl U f B b R8. Sustainable Use of Bamboo Resources9. International Cooperation 10 Bamboo Products10. Bamboo Products11. Bamboo Research and Development12. Bamboo Utilization Towards the Sustainable Goals13. Recommendation

1. INTRODUCTION

rich in bamboo resources and is greatly used by the rural people.

Although the usefulness of bamboo, it is classified as a minor forestproduceproduce.

Markets and bamboo base technology was not well established andthe value of the species was not realized.

value added bamboo products are becoming more and moreimportant.

Export of bamboo products have now started and their values are nowbeing realized and appreciated.

Need to encourage the promotion of bamboo products, especially inthe cottage bamboo industry.

• 75 genera and about 1250 species occur in the world (Sharma, 1979,2. Bamboo Resources

INBAR & IPGRI, 1994).

• Myanmar has 21 genera and 102 species in bamboo diversity.

G N f N G N fNo.

Genus No. of Species

No. Genus No. of Species

1. Bambusa 25 12. Melocalamus 1

2. Cephalostachyum 8 13. Melocanna 2

3. Chimonobambusa 1 14. Neohouzeaus 4

4 Chimonocalamus 4 15 Oxytenenthera 14. Chimonocalamus 4 15. Oxytenenthera 1

5. Dendrocalamopsis 1 16. Phyllostachys 3

6. Dendrocalamus 16 17. Pseudostachyum 2

7. Dinochloa 2 18. Pseudoxytenanthera 4

8. Drepanostachyum 2 19. Schizostachyum 2

9 Gigantochloa 16 20 Thyrsostachys 29. Gigantochloa 16 20. Thyrsostachys 2

10. Guadua 1 21. Yushania 4

11. Klemechloa 1 Total 102

3. Commercial Important Bamboo Species

NotNot allall bamboosbamboos areare equallyequally usefuluseful andand notnot alal

DependingDepending onon thethe species,species, diameter,diameter, physicalphysical

NotNot allall bamboosbamboos areare equallyequally useful,useful, andand notnot alalhavehave potentialpotential forfor commercialcommercial applicationsapplications..

properties,properties, itit maymay differentdifferent inin usageusage..

There are about 18 species of importance species according to the criteria ofpriority selection as in INBAR Technical Report1.priority selection as in INBAR Technical Report1.

The criteria are:

i. Relative importance to countries in term of current use

ii. Potential importance for expanded use in the country

iii. Knowledge on degree of commercialization in cultivation

iv Product currently valuediv. Product currently valued

v. Product for generation of knowledge in cultivation

vi. Product likely to increase in value and

vii. Enhance processing shows clear potential

No. Local Name Scientific Name Major end use

1 Hmyin wa Dendrocalamus strictus Nees Pulp & paper building materials agricultural

3. Commercial Important Bamboo Species

1. Hmyin-wa Dendrocalamus strictus Nees Pulp & paper, building materials, agricultural implements, household utensil, shoot

2. Htiyo-wa Thyrsostachys siamensis Gamble Shoot, pulp & paper, handicraft, fense, wind break

3. Kayin-wa Melocanna bambusoides Trin. Pulp & paper, construction, basket roofing mats

4 K kh t B b di (R t ) Wi d C t ti t b k t h t di i l4. Kya-khat-wa Bambusa arundinaceae (Retz.) Wind. Construction, mats, baskets, shoots, medicinal

5. Kya-thaung-wa Bambusa polymorpha Munra. Building materials, shoots, baskets, pulp& paper

6. Tabindaing-wa Bambusa longispiculata Shoots

7. Thaik-wa Bambusa tulda Roxbo. Building material, shoots, pulp & paper, handicraft, implement, (fodder, furniture)

8. Thana-wa Thyrsostachys oliveri Gamble Poles and fishing rot, shoots

9. Tin-wa Cephalostachyum pergracile Munro Handicrafts, mating, baskets, temporary construction

10. Kyalo Demdrocalamus brandisii Kurz. Building construction, handicrafts, shoots

11. Wabogyi Drndrocalamus giganteus Munro. Building bamboo board, pulp, household implement, shoots

12. Wabo-myet-san-gye Dendrocalamus hamiltonii Nees. Building construction, handicrafts, shoots, fodder, weaving

13. Wa-gyi Dendrocalamus calostachys Kurz House posts, water pipe, construction

14. Kyalway-wa Dendrocalamus asper Construction, making Gar for fishing

15. Wani Dendrocalamus latiflorus Murno Shoot, Construction

16 Wanet Dendrocalamus vulgaris Building baskets shoots16. Wanet Dendrocalamus vulgaris Building, baskets, shoots

17. Wanwe Dinochloa m’clellandi Baskets, utility, shoots

18. Waya Bambusa nigrociliata Munro. Building, construction, handicrafts, basket, walking sticks

4. Bamboo Forest Areas and ProductivityBamboo grow abundantly through out the country either mixed withtimber trees or in pure stands.

Three main bamboo productive areas can be categorizedThree main bamboo productive areas can be categorized.

No

Name of Region Area (km2)

1. BagoYoma RegionEast BagoYoma

Region5,9702,225 8,195

West BagoYomaRegion

, ,

2. Rakhine Region 7,770

3. Taninthayi Region 1,873

Total 17,838

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Source: Planning and Statistic Division, Forest Department

4. Bamboo Forest Areas and Productivity

Estimated that bamboo grow abundantly (143,000 sq..km +) throughout thecountry.

Average annual productions of bamboo for commercial purpose in Myanmarwere 131.77 million numbers of culms

This figure actually does not include bamboo extracted by rural people.

The Forest Department estimates that each family member uses 120 piecesof bamboo annually.of bamboo annually.

Thus, at a very conservative estimate, annual bamboo production inMyanmar is about 2 billion pieces covering all kinds of production.

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5. Technique of Bamboo Propagation

Raw material for production of bamboo products is obtained from the naturalforests.

Harvesting of the bamboo raw material is also not scientifically managed.

it is difficult to get the required qualitative raw material in large quantity andsustainably.y

Thus, it is inevitable that plantation of a particular bamboo product feasible,sustainable and economical.

Need to encourage the promotion of private bamboo plantation Need to encourage the promotion of private bamboo plantation

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5. Technique of Bamboo Propagation

Reproductive

Bamboo Seeds

Vegetative

Branch cutting

Culm cutting

Single node cutting

Double node cutting

Rhizome Layering

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6. Establishment of Bamboo Plantation

bamboo plantation establishment method is not well establishedwithin the Forest Department

it has been practiced traditionally since time immemorial in Myanmar.p y y

the Shan people establish their own bamboo plantations for theirhome use

most of the plantations are planted only for their own use and very most of the plantations are planted only for their own use and veryfew on commercial basic

Although, commercial bamboo plantations can be seen in Magway,Yangon and Ayeyarwaddy Divisions and in the Mon and Shan StatesYangon, and Ayeyarwaddy Divisions and in the Mon and Shan Statesby local community.

Nowadays, commercial bamboo plantation were widely establishedby companies bamboo associations and local communityby companies, bamboo associations and local community.

7. Threatened Bamboo Resources

In Myanmar, major threaten activities that are harmful to bamboo naturalresources and drag them to nearly decreasing quality and quantity and un-sustainable use of bamboo are as follows:

Over harvesting bamboo from natural forest

Unsystematic harvesting, iteration of bamboo exploitation in same area andno cutting cycle

Over collection of bamboo shoot

Changing the habitats into other land use.

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8. Sustainable Use of Bamboo Resourcesto sustainable use of bamboo, following activities needs;

Establishment of bamboo plantations.

Awareness rising in natural bamboo forest management and harvesting.

C t l th b b h t ll ti i t l f t Control the bamboo shoot collection in natural forest.

The management practices prescribed for obtaining desiredquality culms are;quality culms are;

- The harvesting/extraction should be carried out between October andFebruary.

- No felling operations between April and October.All b b l b th ld h ld b h t d- All bamboo culms above three years old should be harvested.

- Harvesting should preferably be done each year.- Bamboo areas should be strictly protected from grazing.- Mounding or heaping earth around clumps and fertilization should beg p g p

carried out each year before the rainy season.- In no case should bamboo clumps be clear felled.- The clear felled clumps generally degenerate into a bushy form.

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9. International Cooperation Project

Sr. Name of Projects International Organization

1. Promoting sustainability of Bamboo through Community Participation in Sustainable Forest Management PD 146/02 Rev 1(I) (2003 2006)

ITTO

146/02 Rev. 1(I) (2003-2006)

2. Market Development of Bamboo and Rattan Products with Potential (2008-2010) (China, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar)

INBAR & CFC

3. Promotion of sustainable management and use of bamboo resources in Myanmar (2016-2018)

TICA

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10. Bamboo Products

• In Myanmar, it could be grouped into the following  six main product  groups of traditional bamboo products. 

) d b da) Crude Bamboo Productsb) Bamboo Building & Bridgesc) Bamboo Furnitured) Bamboo Weavingse) Bamboo Handicraftsf) Food (Bamboo Shoots )Production

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10. Bamboo Products

• Nowadays, products producers, companies in Myanmar have produced and exported some marketable and value added products of pbamboo.

Bamboo mat-board Bamboo parquet Bamboo furniture Bamboo handicrafts Bamboo charcoal

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11. Research and Development

The Forest Research Institute was able to do some trails andproduced the following papersproduced the following papers.

1. Regional studies of bamboo propagation.2. Testing the methods of Propagation of bamboos3. Effects of tending operations on some plots of naturally

regenerated bamboo4. Vegetative propagation of bamboo as a raw material for paper

millmill5. An investigation on morphology, anatomy and chemical

properties of some Myanmar Bamboos Shoot-culm heightgrowth of the most commercially important bamboo species ofMMyanmar

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11. Bamboo Research and Development

• Hand book on Bamboo Forest Management (in English and inMyanmar).

• Guide line for establishment of bamboo plantation• Guide line for establishment of bamboo plantation(in Myanmar)

• Bamboo shoot products in processing manual (in Myanmar)• Bamboo charcoal and vinegar making technique and utilization• Bamboo charcoal and vinegar making technique and utilization• Bamboo properties Handbook (in English)• Salient characteristics of some commercial bamboo species of Myanmar• Current status of Bamboo and Rattan Resources and their products• Current status of Bamboo and Rattan Resources and their products

market in Myanmar• Rattan products designs

• Dissemination of bamboo documents to related agencies• Trainings to rural people and bamboo products processing

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Bamboo Utilization Towards the sustainable Development Goals

OpportunitiesInterest in establishment of bamboo plantation by private sector,Establishment Bamboo Organizations (e.g. Myanmar Bamboo and rattanAssociation, Myanmar Bamboo Lover Network, Myanmar Bamboo Society)Abundant Bamboo ResourcesPilot project for sustainable Use of Bamboo is conducting in priority bambooforest (Tharyawady District of Bago Region) through by the Community Forests

Bamboo Utilization Towards the sustainable Development Goals

Proper management of bamboo forest should be implemented..Due to the scattered nature of the occurrence of bamboo in the natural forests, iti l t ibl t t t ifi d i i l b dis also not possible to extract a specified species in large number and on asustainable basis. Thus, if a specific species is needed in large number forcommercial or industrial purposes, it is inevitable that plantation of thatspecies should first be established.pProper planning on the availability of raw material is needed beforeinvesting on bamboo for commercial or industrial purposes on a large scale.Capacity building and awareness raising in bamboo forest management andp y g g gsustainable utilization of bamboo resourcesEncouragement establishment of bamboo plantation

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Bamboo Utilization Towards the sustainable Development Goals

In order to penetrate the market, both local and international, it is veryimportant to produce new design or design improvement with bambooproducts, not only in appearance but also durability.In order to compete in the international market, advanced technology forbamboo products manufacturing is a prerequisite.A database and information center must be set up, collection of domesticand international information on manufacturing and trading of bambooproducts, participation in international trade fairs, and also natural resourceinformation should be carried out.A tripartite coordination among the product producers exporters andA tripartite coordination among the product producers, exporters andresponsible government departments need to play the key role in formulatingthe right marketing strategy for bamboo products for penetrating into theinternational market.In order to promote the marketable products, New products with newinnovative design can lead to rapidly expansion in export.

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13. Recommendation

Human resources development and planning through technical assistance

With the object of sustainable development of bamboo sector in Myanmar,the following recommendations are suggested.

Human resources development and planning through, technical assistanceand capacity building programs in collaboration with other internationaland national organizations that are advanced in bamboo industry.Encouraging establishment of bamboo plantations not only by the state,g g p y y ,but also by allowing and encouraging private companies and rural communityto sustain the quality raw materials.To reach the export deal in large quantity, through more coordination amongthe government departments and institutions to simplify the export procedurethis can facilitate a smooth and timely transaction.The traditional artistic skills and methods for making bamboo products are tobe preserved maintained and disseminated as far as possible In additionbe preserved, maintained and disseminated as far as possible. In addition,advanced technology in making more stylish products from foreign countriesshould be sought. In doing so, regular training institution should be set up withthe cooperation and coordination of all stakeholders.

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ThankThankyou for your attention!you for your attention!