Abstract:
"Sri Lanka's bamboo industry has the potential to be a substantial economic and environmental driver, but it is currently stagnant due to an acute lack of knowledge. This study pinpoints a crucial knowledge deficit as the primary constraint hindering the industry's development. This deficit contains a lack of awareness regarding bamboo's diverse applications, including its use in construction materials, textiles, and paper production. Furthermore, there is a general unawareness of the economic viability of the bamboo industry, with the global market reaching a staggering USD 59.3 billion in 2021 and a projected Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.5% until 2030. Finally, the environmental advantages of bamboo, such as its rapid growth, exceptional regeneration capabilities, and minimal maintenance requirements, are often unnoticed.
Sri Lanka possesses ideal conditions for extensive bamboo cultivation, yet underutilization plagues the industry. This stagnation stems from a confluence of factors: inadequate agricultural practices, limited farmer expertise, and poor infrastructure. The global market's surge in sustainable materials further underscores Sri Lanka's missed opportunity. The challenges are multifaceted and interconnected. Limited expertise, misconceptions about bamboo, and declining cultivation practices create a significant barrier. Skill scarcity across cultivation techniques, processing methods, and value-added product development hinders progress, innovation, and diversification, ultimately limiting the industry's competitiveness. To bridge this knowledge gap and empower farmers, this study proposes ""Bamboo Sync,"" a solution designed to provide farmers with reliable information on cultivation practices and facilitate access to expert advice from industry professionals."
