Building a green value chain from bamboo

DNO - A start-up project called "EcoQuest - Green Mission" is being nurtured in Huong Tra ward (Da Nang city) and is expected to open up opportunities for multiple benefits of bamboo from exporting products to protecting the ecological environment.

Mr. Vo Phan Van Thanh and local people visit the pilot bamboo garden of the project "EcoQuest - Green Mission". Photo: PHAN VINH

From international market

With many years of experience in finding suppliers and connecting units to distribute goods to the international market, Mr. Vo Phan Van Thanh (born in 1983, Ngoc Bich village, Huong Tra ward) clearly sees that the demand for bamboo materials in the world is growing strongly.

Since 2019, Mr. Thanh has begun to approach more deeply the field of bamboo materials and gradually formed the idea of building a closed chain model from planting, production to product trade. However, choosing bamboo varieties suitable for the Central climate, while meeting the high standards of the European market, is a difficult problem.

"The Central region has a lot of thorny bamboo, with an average height of only 15-17m, and the trunks are curved and broken, so they do not meet the requirements for straightness and length. We must find a bamboo variety that is straight, has a thick trunk, grows quickly, and can adapt to storms and harsh climates in order to consider exporting and developing long-term," said Mr. Thanh.

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The European, Korean, American, Indian and Dutch markets all have a long-standing demand for bamboo products, which they mainly imported from China. However, from 2025, the supply chain will begin to shift strongly to Southeast Asia, including Vietnam. This is a great opportunity but also a challenge as Vietnam mainly exploits natural bamboo, with unstable quality and scale.

Mr. Vo Phan Van Thanh

Mr. Thanh researched some bamboo species in the world and decided to propagate the iron bamboo and queen bamboo species. Photo: PHAN VINH

After many research trips, he discovered the guadua angustifolia bamboo (iron bamboo) - a species of running-root bamboo, originating from South America, which is being successfully grown in Prachin Buri province (Thailand) with a climate similar to Central Vietnam.

This bamboo variety has superior biological characteristics, with a height of 20-25m, large diameter, fast growth, good wind resistance, helps retain soil, prevents erosion and is suitable for forest restoration and Net Zero programs.

Mr. Thanh has piloted planting more than 10 bamboo varieties on an area of 4,000m² in his home garden. After 2 years of selection, only the varieties that meet the standards are retained, including guadua angustifolia bamboo and queen bamboo - a long-stemmed bamboo species with a fast growth rate.

The raw bamboo market abroad is developing well, with high demand for supply. Photo: Provided by the character

[ VIDEO ] - Mr. Vo Phan Van Thanh shares about the environmental protection value of bamboo varieties suitable for the climate of Central Vietnam:

Green value chain from bamboo

Based on the initial results, Mr. Thanh has built the "EcoQuest - Green Mission" Project with the goals of developing raw bamboo growing areas; building processing factories, production facilities for handicraft products, consumer goods and construction materials from bamboo; organizing experience tours, eco-tourism associated with bamboo gardens; designing community education programs on the environment, climate change and renewable energy.

Mr. Thanh started to propagate the seeds to provide to local people. Photo: PHAN VINH

"We have formed a chain model from bamboo planting, short-term agricultural intercropping, to harvesting, preliminary processing, handicraft production, export consumption and community tourism development. This is a sustainable direction because it can connect farmers, cooperatives, businesses, investors and tourists to participate in a bamboo growing ecosystem," said Mr. Thanh.

Currently, the project is cooperating with people in many localities such as the Central Highlands and the North to replicate the model and gradually orient large-scale planting areas in mountainous areas of Da Nang city. Meanwhile, Huong Tra ward will be the core area for seed production for the project. Up to now, the project is still in the final stage, attracting investors and sustainable development support programs to join.

Mr. Thanh prepared bamboo embryos for pilot planting in mountainous communes of the city. Photo: PHAN VINH

"If there is a suitable mechanism, we can completely develop an ecosystem of bamboo products in the Central region, from construction materials, furniture, household appliances, to high-end handicrafts and experiential tourism. Not just an agricultural product, bamboo will become the foundation for a comprehensive green growth strategy, harmonizing the economy, ecology and community," Mr. Thanh added.

[VIDEO] - Vo Phan Van Thanh shares about the development plans of the project "EcoQuest - Green Mission":

Mr. Ngo Tan Thien - environmental expert of CTC Global organization said that proactively developing bamboo material areas associated with the Net Zero target is both consistent with international commitments on emission reduction and creates benefits for localities such as preventing erosion, adapting to climate change, restoring forests, improving livelihoods and increasing access to carbon credits in the future.

Bamboo is native to many developing countries but has never been recognized as a resource that can systematically enter global supply chains.

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Mr. Thanh's project, if properly supported and with the participation of investment partners and policy agencies, can completely become a model for building a bamboo product ecosystem for the Central region - a place with suitable climate, terrain and agricultural human resources conditions."

Mr. Ngo Tan Thien - environmental expert of CTC Global organization

Source: https://baodanang.vn/xay-dung-chuoi-gia-tri-xanh-tu-cay-tre-3297662.html