Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke tested the strength of the bamboo bed yesterday when he toured the house made from bamboo at the Forestry Department. - Junior DowieJAMAICANS COULD in a few years time be able to own houses built primarily from bamboo.
Yesterday, a prototype of a three-bedroom bamboo unit was opened to the public by the Forestry Department in collaboration with the National Commission on Science and Technology (NCST). The house, which is situated at the Forestry Department's Constant Spring Road headquarters, has been named in honour of Keats Hall, forestry consultant, for his contribution to bamboo research.
Estimated to cost about $1 million, the house is the result of a national consultation on bamboo held last June aimed at identifying more lucrative uses for bamboo. Following the consultation the NCST, in collaboration with Jamaica Producers Group, imported bamboo panels from Costa Rica. The construction of the "low-income house" was the result.
Roger Clarke, Minister of Agriculture who was guest speaker at the function, said the breakthrough comes at a time when the country was facing major environmental challenges. He said the "race for the identification and utilisation of new material for housing is critical".
The Minister asserted a sustainable bamboo industry could contribute to the country's environmental, social and economic im-provement if proper management was employed.
Seven species of bamboo on 3,000 hectares are grown locally and research is under way to identify suitable land for the production of the bambusa vulgaris variety, the most common type, to be used for housing material. It could be a few years yet before houses are made from bamboo on any large scale as the most ideal plant is imported from Costa Rica.
Mr. Clarke said the aim of his Ministry was to develop a "viable industry and a valuable network of economic activity in furniture, flooring, musical instruments and handicrafts."
The idea, the Minister said, was to change the perception of bamboo as a grass weed to one of a crop with a wide variety of value-added potential.
He said Jamaica was also seeking to become a participant of the International Bamboo and Rattan Association.
