BResilient: Bamboo as a vital ingredient in reforestation strategies to promote resilient and sustainable communities and enterprises in Madagascar
Bamboo as a vital ingredient in reforestation strategies to promote resilient and sustainable communities and enterprises in Madagascar

Welcome to the BResilient programme website.
This programme has the following research aims:
1. To identify climate resilient species of wood for planting in our case study sites to restore biodiversity, and appropriate species of bamboo to provide a resource for fuel wood, construction and local enterprises.
2. To characterise the resilience of houses built using bamboo and develop a model house based on bamboo which provides greater durability and resilience to climate hazards than the construction materials currently used in each area.
3. To characterise the production processes and combustion of bamboo charcoal and use this information to improve bamboo charcoal production using the bamboo species chosen.
We use the following research-to-action methods:
We will make a holistic study of the resilience of communities and their environment, based on participatory approaches. Forest inventory and growth monitoring research will be used to select species for planting in the case study areas. Guidelines will communicate the research findings to the case study communities and wider stakeholders. Capacity-building sessions will be organized for community-based volunteers and community members, focusing on bamboo construction techniques, to provide practical experience to community members and carpenters in constructing houses, community infrastructure, and other essential structures using bamboo. Entrepreneurship training will be provided to equip community members with the skills needed to create and manage bamboo-based businesses. These training activities will create an integrated and resilient development model. Volunteers will be mobilised to support all stages of the project; their local knowledge and engagement will be crucial for community outreach and for ensuring the project’s success.