Bamboo: The House of Stone
By Tinashe Chidau and Tichaona Kamikani
HARARE, Zimbabwe (News of the South) – A house built on rock will withstand any tempest. The test of time, rains, floods or gushing winds will hit and still it will stand strong.
On the contrary, a house built on sand will be found wanting, no matter how beautiful the design, it will not survive time or the elements.
Within our long memories abides the misshapen story of jatropha, once heralded as the key to a terrific future.
A Utopia replete with sugar candy was concertedly foisted onto the believing consciences of the already suffering masses. “Plant jatropha, sell it to the appointed oil expressors, and kick poverty on the groin.”
Simple, yet non of this materialised. It was to be a house built on sand. Dutifully the sheepish masses moved on.
That jatropha held so much promise, and still does, goes without question. So, what went wrong? And in endeavoring to introduce a bamboo culture, what lessons are inherent in this jatropha gaffe?
It would not be far from the truth to surmise that in this instance we wanted to build Rome (read Harare) in a day against the dictates of logic.
Rarely is success an event nor is it a miracle, dear reader. Time has proven that real and sustained success results from careful processes complete with detailed plans, roadmaps and lessons along the way.
Just as the was the case in the period the Jatropha craze gripped the country, Zimbabwe is once again in the throes of a debilitating economic malaise.
Now that emotions have subsided, we can laugh at how many in the leadership of that era were embarrassingly sold a ridiculous dummy that diesel had mysteriously started oozing from a rock in Chinhoyi.
The explanation then was that our ancestors had given us a reprieve from the biting fuel shortages of the time.
Our clever opportunistic artistes had a field day, with songs and dramas inspired by this physics-defying “rare-find” invading the the creative arts space.
Do we as Zimbabweans have a culture of believing in quick fixes? In miracles? Well let us be reminded that a drowning man is a desperate man, he may even grab at straws in a bid to survive.
Some of the responses to our articles have carried fateful responses, questions and suggestions.
In summary, we have been told to rather be quick in telling people how to plant bamboo and to also reveal to them how they can make money from it because “Zimbabweans want things that bring money.” This left us gasping at the gullibility abiding in our psyches.
When will we learn? Will we ever learn at all?
Granted, we have known no respite to our the economic challenges that seem to wait for us at every turn and that we are all so desperate to change our personal situations.
Bread and butter issues have become the main national occupation and people are forever hunting for that elusive “gap” out of poverty.
Bamboos are a fantastic species, special in every way, and with over 1 000 documented uses, they are clumps of hope for our people, more so they that have forever been financially excluded.
We can generate electricity and power rural homes and amenities with bamboo on top of establishing rural manufacturing industries using it as a raw material to produce among others, paper, fabric, charcoal for curing our tobacco, planks, roofing trusses, furniture etc…
Given SADC’s high deforestation figures at 330 000 hectares per annum, going the bamboo route can turn the situation around.
But, we are urging caution in creating an abiding culture. If we rush, we risk tripping.
Ushered in studiously and carefully, a bamboo culture can, and will, create a better future for the majority.
We are talking about an industry that is already worth US$60 billion globally, and there is no reason why as Zimbabwe we cannot carve our own niche and enjoy a slice of this burgeoning industry.
We are advocating a careful introduction of bamboo that does not compromise food production, an introduction that is sensitive to biodiversity issues, an introduction that is considerate to the invasive nature of some bamboo species.
All these factors and more need awareness before we plough headlong into planting. This is where we, as a highly literate nation, need to differentiate ourselves from the rest.
Our coveted literacy status should instead capacitate us to congregate on this promise and make sure it delivers sustainable prosperity for our people while taking care of our planet.
Let us use our understanding of things to be the difference we seek, let us no longer be known for useless and endless moaning and complaining, let us desist from self a destructive mantra.
We have to build a culture of patience, persistence and perseverance in doing the right things. Bamboo is the right thing, with the right attitude, it will lead us out of poverty.This is not a pie in the sky get-rich-quick scheme dear reader.
Let us at this stage find encouragement from those countries already reaping the benefits of bamboo as we model our own success.
Tinashe Chidau is the founder and Secretary of Bamboo Zimbabwe. He can be contacted on 0772949693 or email.
tinashe@bamboozimbabwe.org.zw.
Tichaona Kamikani is a Freelance Journalist and member of Bamboo Zimbabwe. He can be contacted on 0772892173 or email tichkami@yahoo.com
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