Thrilling Bamboo Enterprises and Livelihood Opportunities
Dr. Selim Reza has worked in the Asian and African bamboo sectors for over 23 years. He implemented bamboo livelihood development projects and programs in India, Ethiopia, Madagascar, and Tanzania. He is an active member of the Global Forum for Sustainable Rural Development and the Bamboo Forum of India. Currently, he is the regional program manager with the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR), East Africa Regional Office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and managing the Dutch-Sino (Phase-II) East Africa Bamboo Development program.
As a “Grass or Non-timber Forest Product,” “bamboo” has been classified by a number of nations and states. It thrives in both forested and non-forested regions that are specialized in small-scale farming methods, sustainable livelihoods, and the creation of green jobs. It has great importance since it grows quickly, helping to restore the land and mitigate climate change. It is a crop with annual production and a variety of uses. This resource has been demonstrated to be effective in achieving the SDGs and in decreasing poverty, developing pro-poor enterprises, large and medium-scale industrial uses, and mitigating climate change. In this presentation, a bamboo pro-poor enterprise development approach has been sketched out with the goal of promoting livelihood and environmental management.