President, Bamboo and Rattan Farmers Association of Nigeria (RARFAN), John Ajie Ogwu, on Thursday urged the Federal Government to encourage the cultivation of bamboo to boost the economy.
In a chat with Daily Trust, Ogwu also tasked the public and private sectors on massive planting of bamboo and rattan.
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“The forest is depleting very fast. Therefore, forest land areas are reducing and bamboo is a very, very good alternative to timber because it grows very fast. It takes the average wood five to 10 years to mature. But in two years, bamboo has matured, so it’s a very good replacement for timber,” he said.
He said the association, in collaboration with the Department of Forestry, Ministry of Environment; the Raw Materials Research and Development Council and the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria would host a sensitization programme on bamboo cultivation in Abuja.
Ogwu said the two-day event, billed for next Tuesday and Wednesday, would be held in commemoration of the 2022 World Bamboo Day.
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