ly Ju 07 20
Bamboo is as hard as oak. The giant
The first of July. A day to remember.
in Happy Valley; in the afternoon, civil
and months, if not years and years to
Yes, in development work, every day
In Somalia, Burundi and Rwanda,
society made their causes known, from
develop. The possibilities of bamboo
is to be counted and remembered. Every
it’s Independence Day… Canada Day,
ethnic minority rights to a minimum
marketing in the Mekong… of peace
month. Every year.
Princess Diana’s birthday, the founding
wage and universal suffrage; at eight
and stability in Indonesia… of more
of the International Criminal Court… In
o’clock, fireworks began to light up the
rights for women in rural China.
Hong Kong, it marks the day in 1997 that
city night.
stories’ from around Hong Kong and around Asia.
rule transferred from England to China:
The July edition of O.N.E presents
some legal progress against domestic
Madeleine Marie Slavick
in the morning of 2007, President Hu
Oxfam Hong Kong successes in the
violence. Oxfam co-published a book on
Editor, Oxfam News Magazine
Jintao and Hong Kong’s Chief Executive
making, successes that in many cases
what it really means to live on welfare.
Oxfam Hong Kong
Donald Tsang attended an extravaganza
have taken days and days, months
IDEA advocates art and activism.
typically grows well.
for medicine, twigs for brooms, the
grass is one of the fastest growing
Bamboo is already good business.
top for scaffolding, mid and base parts
crops. Hardy, there are about 1,250
Globally, the industry stands at around
for medium value products like blinds
species. Strong, its roots bind the soil
USD 7 billion, but by 2017, the sector
and woven mats, the bottom section
together and prevent erosion. Versatile,
could reach USD 20 billion. China
for laminated flooring, shoots for
it has more than 1,500 different uses.
currently holds around 5.5 billion and
vegetable, waste parts for charcoal, and
I n dig e n o u s to m a ny d eve lo p in g
Vietnam 0.25 billion, but Vietnam and
various parts for handicrafts. Too often,
countries, the woody stems can help
the Mekong region as a whole has the
the whole trunk is used for paper and
curb the overexploitation of tropical
potential to increase its market share to
other low value products, when it could
forests and can help create a better
USD 1 billion, with jobs for more than
be used for higher value goods, too.
livelihood for millions of people.
1 million of some of the poorest people.
Oxfam Hong Kong is working to
From Hong Kong, there has been
We hope you enjoy these ‘success
Oxfam is helping to make it happen.
Each of the three main bamboo sub -sec tors – industrial produc ts,
develop the potential of bamboo in
The days are gone when bamboo
handicrafts and bamboo shoots – also
the Mekong countries of Vietnam, Laos
was primarily used for outdoor furniture
has different poverty impact potential,
and Cambodia, where some 22 million
and chopsticks. With the growing
market oppor tunities, and supply
people live in dire poverty and 20 to
international demand for timber,
chain structures. Industrial products,
30 million others live just above the
bamboo is filling a niche. Bamboo has
including everything from paper to
poverty line. Poverty is worst in the
become an environmentally friendly
blinds, chopsticks, construction panels
remote uplands, where community
source of wood and fibre substitutes,
and flooring, consume significant
facilities are normally substandard,
as well as a source of a new generation
amounts of bamboo and this demand
education limited, roads impassable,
of flooring, panels, clothing, furniture
for high volume has been driving farmer
and market infrastructure weak, yet,
and more.
income. Handicrafts create jobs in the
on a more positive note, also has a
Different parts of the plant are used
supply chain rather than farmer income;
landscape and climate where bamboo
for different products, such as the leaves
there are already 350,000 jobs in the
emagazine@oxfam.org.hk
Bamboo, Poverty and Industry in the Mekong John Marsh writes from Hanoi