This event is held as part of the UN Decade pavilion at World Restoration Conference on 27 September 2023, from 16:00 to 18:00 p.m.(ACST)

Launch of the Bamboo Trust Fund, an innovative initiative under the UN Decade Action Plan that aims to harness the immense potential of bamboo to address pressing global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss. With a rapidly closing window of opportunity, we need holistic solutions that can tackle the complex factors underlying these challenges. Bamboo, with its remarkable resilience and rapid growth, emerges as a key player in this endeavor, particularly across the equatorial belt where degraded soils and landscapes prevail.

The Bamboo Villages model, at the heart of this initiative, promotes community-based enterprises that are locally owned, grown, and managed. By integrating bamboo landscapes into agroforestry systems, these villages generate a multitude of benefits, including enhanced soil health, increased biodiversity, improved livelihoods for local communities, and even contributions towards climate change mitigation.

Ltinerary:

1. Welcome and Introduction (5 minutes) - UN Decade representative. Opening remarks by the event host, highlighting the importance of the collaboration between BVT and the UN Decade.

2. Overview of Bamboo-based Agroforestry and How the Bamboo Village Model integrates with an Agroforestry Approach (15 minutes) - Arief Rabik. Presentation by a representative from BVT, providing an in-depth explanation of the Bamboo Villages model, its objectives, and its impact on restoring degraded landscapes.

3.Bamboo-Based Agroforestry as a Forest Landscape Restoration Opportunity to Achieve Social, Economic and Ecological Objectives Across Scales (15 minutes) – Dr. Benjamin M. Brown

4. Showcase of Successful Bamboo Villages (15 minutes) - Arief Rabik with video displays. Testimonials from representatives of existing Bamboo Villages, sharing their experiences, achievements, and the socio-economic benefits brought to their communities.

5. Collaboration between Bamboo Village Trust and UN Decade (15 minutes) - Natalia Alekseeva, Jean Philippe Salcedo, Arief Rabik

• Panel on the formal collaboration between BVT and the UN Decade, emphasizing the shared goals and mutual benefits of the partnership.
• How the UN decade will convene a meeting on all partners to join the Bamboo Village task force under the omnibus grant -> Natalia Alekseeva

6. BVT Omnibus Grant to the Multi-stakeholder Trust Fund of the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration (15 minutes) - Arief Rabik. Outline of the proposed approach and steps to scale up the adoption of Bamboo Villages, establishment of the Bamboo Villages Trust, and implementation of the Omnibus grant.

7. How the Woodford Folk Festival Can Support the Voice of Backbone Landscape Partners and Bamboo Champion on BVT Partnership (20 minutes) - Bill Hauritz and Amanda Jackes from Woodford Folk Festival

8. Panel Discussion (15 minutes) - Arief Rabik, Benjamin Brown, Bill, and Amanda.Panel discussion with experts and stakeholders, addressing questions and concerns related to the Bamboo Villages model, collaboration, and the potential for widespread adoption.

9. Closing Remarks (5 minutes) - Jean Philippe Salcedo. Highlighting the transformative potential of Bamboo Villages and the importance of continued collaboration between BVT and UN Decade.

For any questions, please contact: Arief Rabik ([email protected]); Icha Irdhanie ([email protected]) and [email protected]