The Impact of Forest Policy and Land Tenure System on Bamboo Development in Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria, for a long time has depended on its raw material resources to fuel its industrial development aspirations. Since the 1980’s, the overexploitation of the nation’s economic wood resources has led to dependence on lesser used wood species and wood importation. As the nation has copious quantities of bamboo, it is expected that the development of the bamboo resources will complement or substitute wood in industrial production processes. However, the bamboo resources are underdeveloped as it is regarded as just one of the non timber forest resources.  In addition, the forest policy and land tenure system does not give primacy for the development of bamboo. To promote bamboo development in Nigeria, there is need to educate policy makers on the potentials of bamboo.   There is also a need for a deliberate bamboo development policy locally.

Keywords: policy, bamboo, land tenure, communal and land use act.