P3SEKPI (Bogor, 21/08/2017)_Indonesia has more than 1 million hectares of bamboo plants, however, only 25,000 hectares have been managed in the form of bamboo forests, while the rest are planted sporadically. In collaboration with Yayasan Bambu Lestari, The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and IAARD and Innovation - Ministry of Environment and Forestry initiated the planting and expansion of bamboo forests through the 1000 Bamboo Village Movement.

The movement has five work focuses, namely legality, encouraging access to state forest and land owned, managing more than and equal to 50 hectares of forest and bamboo gardens, creating a creative bamboo culture, and integrating local bamboo wisdom.

The 1,000 bamboo villages movement was built with sustainable management of 1,000 villages, namely 200 villages in Sumatra, 200 villages in Java, 75 villages in Bali, 75 villages in NTB, 75 villages in NTT, 125 villages in Kalimantan, 125 villages in Sulawesi, and 125 villages in Papua.

The concept of the 1,000 bamboo villages movement is that each village plants at least 70,000 bamboo seeds or equivalent to 2,000 hectares (35 clumps/hectare). Each clump will produce 6 stems/year and after 10 years (≥ 36 stems / clump), become 10 stems / year after 15 years (≥ 56 stems / clump). It will produce a very large number.

Indeed, bamboo is a commodity that may become a solution to tackle emissions issues. Bamboo forests are capable of absorbing 50 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare per year. In addition, the bamboo clump is a water reservoir that is reliable enough to preserve the ecosystem. Unfortunately, the huge potential of bamboo does not parallel with its development.***