BAMBOO EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH CENTER
By planting and using bamboo sustainably, we can create jobs, housing and food security while protecting the environment and reducing the risk of devastating floods.
The construction of an education and research center has two overarching goals:
· Firstly, training local builders, architects and civil engineers in advanced bamboo building techniques
· Second, as a facility for raising awareness, education, testing and research on the ecosystem services of bamboo.
Due to its geographical location, Mozambique is particularly exposed to the effects of climate change. Tropical cyclones, droughts and floods are becoming more frequent and more intense. Two recent major hurricanes have caused catastrophic damage and killed thousands of people:
· In 2019, Cyclone Idai affected 1.85 million people in .
· In February 2023, over 887,000 people were affected by Cyclone Freddy, believed to be the longest cyclone in history.
We see bamboo cultivation in connection with the construction of an education and research center for the further use of bamboo as a medium-term solution for environmental protection and sustainable rural development in Mozambique.
· Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world with over a thousand uses. It is already playing a critical role in addressing environmental and social problems in other countries, including restoring degraded land and providing livelihoods for populations.
· The cultivation of bamboo and its further processing can create many jobs, since its product added value is versatile.
· Due to its exceptional mechanical properties, bamboo can be used in the short term to respond to severe climate disasters. As a flexible building material, it can be quickly crafted into emergency infrastructure such as shelters, bridges, and canoes.
· The targeted cultivation of bamboo can have a preventative effect against floods and, thanks to its physical properties, it can serve as protection against wind, erosion and flooding, as well as for binding large amounts of CO2.
The construction of an education and research center has two overarching goals:
· Firstly, training local builders, architects and civil engineers in advanced bamboo building techniques
· Second, as a facility for raising awareness, education, testing and research on the ecosystem services of bamboo.
As for bamboo cultivation, the plan is to expand the existing forest tree nursery from 3 hectares to 30 hectares, creating a field for education, research and experimentation.