LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE MINISTERIAL WORKSHOP ON BAMBOO AND RATTAN SECTOR DEVELOPMENT
The Ministerial Workshop helped us in the following ways:
1. We saw the important role that bamboo and rattan has played in poverty alleviation in member countries of Inbar including China. Membership of Inbar will prevent us from having to re-invent the wheel. The bamboo processing chain can be easily implemented here in Jamaica.
2. We now understand the role of bamboo and rattan in environmental protection (through high-level exchanges, visits and seminars) - the visits to the bamboo forest and to the pre-processing and finished product factories contributed to a solid first hand experience of this. The forestry deparment in Jamaica can benefit from the Research and Development already done within Inbar to introduce new species of bamboo that can be grown here. This will rapidly multiply the variety of products that can be delivered to the market.
3. We gained knowledge of how to implement sustainable development using the bamboo and rattan chain
4. We experienced a deepening of the friendship and cooperation between us, china and other developing countries. (travelling together on the bus and the opportunity to interact at meals worked very well)
We were focused on the theme of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo “Better City, Better Life” demonstrating how various countries promote sustainable development through bamboo and rattan resources.