The Bamboo and Rattan Sectors in Asia: an Analysis of ... - INBAR
The Bamboo and Rattan Sectors in Asia: an Analysis of ... - INBAR
The Bamboo and Rattan Sectors in Asia: an Analysis of ... - INBAR
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trend is the <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g use <strong>of</strong> substitutes for ratt<strong>an</strong> <strong>in</strong> ratt<strong>an</strong> products. In Ch<strong>in</strong>a <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong><br />
the Philipp<strong>in</strong>es, wood is now regularly used <strong>in</strong> place <strong>of</strong> large-diameter ratt<strong>an</strong> as a<br />
ma<strong>in</strong> structural element <strong>in</strong> 'ratt<strong>an</strong>' furniture. Wrought iron with ratt<strong>an</strong> webb<strong>in</strong>g <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong><br />
other ratt<strong>an</strong> decoration is also be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly used <strong>in</strong> furniture <strong>in</strong> places like the<br />
Philipp<strong>in</strong>es. Even with these shifts, ratt<strong>an</strong> resources, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> especially resources <strong>of</strong> largediameter<br />
c<strong>an</strong>es, are becom<strong>in</strong>g scarcer.<br />
Where ratt<strong>an</strong> cultivation is be<strong>in</strong>g done <strong>in</strong> the region, it is ma<strong>in</strong>ly <strong>in</strong> the control<br />
<strong>of</strong> large scale corporations or forest departments. Despite government <strong>in</strong>centives<br />
(Malaysia 20 , the Philipp<strong>in</strong>es) <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> regulations <strong>in</strong>tended to promote small-scale pl<strong>an</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g<br />
(Indonesia, the Philipp<strong>in</strong>es) <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> the apparent f<strong>in</strong><strong>an</strong>cial feasibility <strong>of</strong> such <strong>in</strong>vestments,<br />
there has been very little <strong>in</strong> the way <strong>of</strong> small-scale ratt<strong>an</strong> cultivation. Most notably,<br />
traditional ratt<strong>an</strong> collectors <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> small-scale agriculturists, who are familiar with the<br />
pl<strong>an</strong>ts <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> already <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> the market, are not <strong>in</strong>tensify<strong>in</strong>g to enh<strong>an</strong>ce productivity.<br />
Still, there is tremendous scope for <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g raw material production through<br />
<strong>in</strong>tensification. <strong>The</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> economic constra<strong>in</strong>ts are:<br />
1. <strong>The</strong> long time to maturity (<strong>in</strong> the case <strong>of</strong> ratt<strong>an</strong>) ---- most poor people c<strong>an</strong>not<br />
wait 8-10 years for returns on their <strong>in</strong>vestments;<br />
2. Lack <strong>of</strong> secure tenure over l<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> or resources;<br />
3. Difficult market conditions for small-scale producers that make it difficult to<br />
capture the returns to <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> improved m<strong>an</strong>agement.<br />
In Anji County <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> <strong>in</strong> Eastern Nepal, m<strong>an</strong>agement <strong>in</strong>tensification <strong>in</strong> bamboo<br />
sector was a direct response to <strong>in</strong>creased <strong>in</strong>dividual or community control over the<br />
resource. <strong>The</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>a case is particularly dramatic. <strong>The</strong> Ancestral Doma<strong>in</strong> l<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> claims<br />
<strong>in</strong> the Philipp<strong>in</strong>es (<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> other community forest m<strong>an</strong>agement efforts elsewhere) have<br />
opened up a new <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> very promis<strong>in</strong>g approach to resource m<strong>an</strong>agement. It seems to<br />
have great potential to encourage ratt<strong>an</strong> (<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> other forest products) cultivation with<strong>in</strong><br />
the forest ecosystem. <strong>The</strong> claim gives security <strong>of</strong> tenure to the cutters, along with<br />
guar<strong>an</strong>teed cutt<strong>in</strong>g rights. Moreover, it encourages the development <strong>of</strong> associations,<br />
a horizontal l<strong>in</strong>kage that has potential to <strong>in</strong>crease the commercial leverage <strong>of</strong> the<br />
cutters. This is a promis<strong>in</strong>g approach that is worthy <strong>of</strong> further development.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re has been some capital <strong>in</strong>tensification <strong>in</strong> the semi-process<strong>in</strong>g <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong><br />
m<strong>an</strong>ufactur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustries. In Anji County, m<strong>an</strong>y small- <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> medium-scale<br />
entrepreneurs have <strong>in</strong>vested <strong>in</strong> mech<strong>an</strong>ized bamboo process<strong>in</strong>g equipment to make<br />
a variety <strong>of</strong> products. <strong>The</strong> larger ratt<strong>an</strong> products firms <strong>in</strong> Indonesia <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> the Philipp<strong>in</strong>es<br />
20 <strong>The</strong> government has supported research <strong>in</strong>to ratt<strong>an</strong> cultivation <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> policies encourage ratt<strong>an</strong> pl<strong>an</strong>tation,<br />
with the result that ratt<strong>an</strong> is now pl<strong>an</strong>ted with timber <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> rubber over tens <strong>of</strong> thous<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong>s <strong>of</strong> hectares<br />
<strong>in</strong> the country. Although no study was carried out <strong>in</strong> Malaysia under this series, this fact is worth<br />
not<strong>in</strong>g. It may also be noted that one <strong>of</strong> the first <strong>INBAR</strong> ratt<strong>an</strong> projects was <strong>in</strong> Malaysia.<br />
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