As a council with bamboo as one of its main focus commodities, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) recently welcomed the issuance of a policy on bamboo growing.
This policy is Department Order 2021-26 (DAO 2021-26), the Rules and Regulations Governing the Establishment, Harvesting, and Transport of Bamboo, issued in August this year by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
This policy, DOST-PCAARRD said, will encourage more Filipino farmers to grow bamboo, help local and national development, and contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
DAO 2021-26 to help bamboo entrepreneurs, plantation owners
DAO 2021-26, the agency said, amended various policies on the establishment, harvest, and transport of bamboo products with the aim of encouraging the development of bamboo plantations and promotion of sustainable use of bamboo as wood substitute.
Bamboo is durable, versatile, and multifunctional, and can be used to make various products such as furniture, handicrafts, construction material, and chemical products. It has a high carbon capturing capacity compared to other plants. This makes growing and using bamboo very sustainable.
DAO 2021-26 removes the certificate of verification (CoV) as a requirement for harvesting and transporting bamboo. A CoV is considered a factor that discourages investment in the bamboo industry due to the tedious and lengthy application process, short validity, and high cost because of the need to apply for a CoV multiple times, as cited in the PCAARRD-funded study on bamboo. The new DAO implements a one-time registration fee for a certificate of bamboo plantation registration, which has no expiration until the bamboo stand is declared unproductive.
The registration of tenured forest land holders and backyard farms is also exempted, if these are for personal consumption and transported within the municipality. Backyard farms may also be registered for commercial production as individuals, provided that they have steady and sustainable supply, or they may opt to form a cooperative/association, instead.
DENR will also help bamboo entrepreneurs in accessing tech transfer arrangements provided by DOST and concerned units. DAO also provides incentives to bamboo plantation owners for plantation development and bamboo processing enterprises, and outlines guidance on capacity-building, research and development, technology transfer, financial subsidy, and other support activities.
MoU with China for bamboo, rice technology cooperation
Meanwhile, the Philippines and China have entered into an agreement that aims to strengthen bamboo research and rice technology cooperation.
With the aim of establishing long-term and stable partnerships among research institutes in the Philippines and in China, DOST-PCAARRD inked on Sept. 6 a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China’s Jiangxi Academy of Forestry (JAF) and the Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JxAAS).
The MoU is a product of the efforts of the Philippines’ DOST and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) that have been actively working together to identify collaborative activities that will mutually benefit both agencies in bamboo post-harvest processing and rice research.
DOST-PCAARRD and JAF agreed to collaborate on the following:
- Establishing the Philippines-China joint laboratory on bamboo;
- Research and technology promotion on advanced processing technology of bamboo resources;
- Demonstration and showcasing of new technologies and products; and
- Academic exchange, technical training, and capacity building services.
JAF will be working with the Philippines’ Forest Products Research and Development Institute of DOST (DOST-FPRDI) under this area of cooperation.
DOST-PCAARRD and JxAAS, on the other hand, planned to implement the following projects:
- Adaptation trial and demonstration of green high-benefit and rice-fishery symbiotic farming models;
- Rice breeding related to rice-fish farming;
- Demonstration and showcase of relevant new technologies, products, models, and intelligent agriculture related to rice-fish farming;
- Exchange visits of scientists, researchers, and science and technology administrative staff; policy consultations;
- Technical trainings and hosting of thesis/dissertation studies;
- Sharing of information resources related to the joint program; and
- Other forms of cooperation that may be mutually agreed upon.
JxAAS will be implementing these proposed projects with DOST-PCAARRD’s partners in the region– the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the Central Luzon State University (CLSU).
The MOU was signed by DOST-PCAARRD Executive Director Reynaldo Ebora, JAF President Yang Jiefang, and JxAAs President Dai Xingzhao. (DOST-PCAARRD) – jlo
