Mailafia spoke in Benin on Thursday at the on-going two-day national stakeholder’s sensitisation workshop on the development of bamboo and rattan in the country.
She said the hosting of the national workshop on bamboo and rattan was a clear signal of conscious effort by the ministry to develop very important resources hitherto neglected as a tool for economic empowerment.
The minister said that the diminishing resource and the availability of timber or wood products and conservation had highlighted the need to identify substitutes for traditional timber and its products.
``'This forum is expected to create the much needed awareness about bamboo and rattan like the non-timber forest product that are yet to be accorded recognition by government.
``'Bamboo and rattan are of significant importance in strategic economic development in terms of poverty alleviation, job creation, economic development and environmental protection due to its unique growth,'' she said.
According to her, bamboo and rattan are versatile, strong, renewable and environmental-friendly materials already proven to be valuable substitute to timber products in many countries.
The minister, however, said that most bamboo species produced mature fibre in three years, adding that it could be grown quickly and easily and harvested in three to five years' cycles.
''Bamboo adapts to most climatic condition and soil types, acting as soil stabiliser, an effective carbon sink and helping to counter the effect of greenhouse effect.
''Bamboo and rattan will help in safeguarding our bio-diversity, as well as contribute to improvement of food security and poverty reduction among local communities.
''It would also provide a broad range of products and services to current and future generations, while guaranteeing the resilience and maintaining the ecosystem under threats of desertification, erosion, and floods,'' she said.
Mailafia said that the bamboo and rattan project would commence operation at the Federal Department of Forestry’s wood utilisation centre and at the 50 hectares of land site located in Ehor Forest Reserve in Edo.
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