JAMAICAmade [HOME]

MINISTERIAL WORKSHOP – ZHEJIANG PROVINCE, ANJI  COUNTY,

THIS KEYBOARD IS MADE ENTIRELY FROM BAMBOO 

We visited the following companies in Zhejian, Anji today

The Anji Shengshi Biological Products Co. Ltd. This company manufactures the following products from BAMBOO

1. Beer
2. Soft Drinks
3. Bamboo leaf flavors
4. Juice Drinks
5. Bamboo leaf liquids
6. Cancer fighting extracts
7. Oligomers Polyanabolic Complexes (OPC)

We next visited the Zhejiang Yongyu Bamboo Joint-Stock Company. This company manufactures Bamboo Boards and Furniture. The office furniture is sold locally and some exported.

Next visited the Jitai Machinery manufacturing company

This company makes among other things the machinery use in the manufacture of Bamboo products

1. Tooth pick
2. Mats
3. Curtains
4. Flooring

The machines are mainly sold domestically but also exported to South Asia, example Vietnam, Thailand and the company partners with Inbar to assist companies in other countries.

Some  examples of the Machines manufactured are as follows :-

1. Painting Machinery
2. Splitting Machinery
3. Bamboo Planing Machinery

We returned to the Hotel, had lunch then departed from Anji with our luggage by bus at 1:40 pm. We arrived at Huangshang Taipin Experimental Station in the Anhui Province at approx 5:45 pm and checked into our rooms. All participants had dinner together this evening.

Days 3 & 4: A week-end in Zhejiang

INBAR WORKSHOP 
SATURDAY 22 MAY 2010

We departed from the Ascott Hotel by bus on Saturday morning at 9:30 am. It was a bit sad for me to leave that hotel. It was very comfortable with one of the best rooms I have ever occupied in a hotel in my travels throughout the world.

We drove for over 3 hours across the country. My Camera flash went defective so I did not bring it with me. I am trying to get pictures from colleague participants which I will post later. We arrived at the Meilin Holiday Resort near 1:00 pm, checked into our rooms then had lunch. We then drove for 20 minutes to a Bamboo Outlet where we were entertained by a Bamboo Band made up of disabled persons. It was fantastic.

We then drove another 15 minutes to the Anji Bamboo Centre. This is a massive Bamboo Art center where thousand of Bamboo products are sold. I was only able to afford woven bamboo mat. You have to see it to believe it. My previous opinion of a bamboo mat would be something rigid and heavy.  I did not know mats like this could be made out of bamboo. I will post a picture when I get a Camera.

Back at the hotel at around 5:30 pm we were told that we should meet at 6:00 pm for dinner but I have to confess I went back to my hotel room and I did not get awake until 9:00 pm. I went downstairs and I saw no one so I went back to my room and next thing I knew it was 12: 15 am on Sunday morning so here I am writing this report.

I notice that I do not have Internet in this room but I notice a wall jack (well I asked the receptionist downstairs and she said there is only Internet in the Business Centre which was closed at that time). 

SUNDAY 23 MAY 2010

The programme organizers assisted with the Interpretation and all I needed was a cable - so I do have Internet Connection.

This morning we visited a Bamboo Forrest - the Moso Bamboo Plantation Demonstration Site. We then visited a Bamboo Pre-processing Plant - the Jinding Factory (Preliminary processing).  Afterwards we went to a Bamboo Factory that used the processed bamboo to make carpets - the Anji Zhongyuan Company (Bamboo curtains and carpets).

After lunch 2 visits were made to a Factory that mnufactures Bamboo flooring and the other that manufactures Bamboo Carpets and mats.

Today was actually day one of the INBAR Congress on Bamboo and Rattan but day 2 of activities for participants.  INBAR CONGRESS

The day started with Dr. Cooke of the International Food For Agricultural Development (IFAD) making a presentation titled “Reducing the Rural-Urban Divide: and The Role of Bamboo and Rattan”

He spoke about the Bamboo and Rattan Value Chain and the need for group formation to interact effectively and efficiently in the chain. I will say more on this.

Next, Ambassador Ali Mchumo, Managing Director, Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) spoke about the evolution and activities of the organization. This was a very long address which I will link to at a later date rather than boring you all with the details now.

After the opening session came the Ministerial Policy Session. This was very interesting. The session actually dealt with the following:-

1. Africa Regional Policy Outlook
2. Asia Region Policy Outlook
3. Latin America and the Caribbean Policy Outlook 

Each section had a main presentation followed by a Panel Discussion. Again I will let you have the details later.

The Thematic Session on Innovative Constructions followed. The use of Bamboo and Rattan in the Construction Industry was revealed. You would have to see it to believe it….I will try not to let you down. A full description of what happened here will follow soon.

The Thematic session on rural production and urban markets, including housing followed….more later

 All this ended at approx 5:30 pm then we were bused to a evening session “A night out at the Spanish Expo Pavilion”. In fact we experienced 2 wonderful pavilions at the expo because we first visited the German/China Pavilion completely constructed with Bamboo. The Spanish Expo Pavilion is constructed of Bamboo, Rattan and Wicker. They were both fantastic.

After cocktails at the Spanish Pavilion we returned to the hotel At about 10:30 pm.

We will be driven to another town departing at 8:00 am. We have to check out of the Hotel at 7:30 am so I do not have much more time to write tonight. It is now 11:30 pm on Friday night.

See details below on what I outlined above. I will also correct any spelling and grammar mistakes soon…you see I have to pack now for early check out tomorrow and I must get some sleep. The organizers of this workshop are definitely slave drivers LOL.

21st May INBAR Congress on Bamboo and Rattan, Shanghai

INBAR’s 2010 Congress on Bamboo and Rattan was also launched on INBAR’s Honor Day. The congress brought together policy makers, experts and enthusiasts from all over the world to discuss ways of harnessing the enormous potential of bamboo and rattan to deliver environmental, social and economic benefits, and address challenges that are hindering growth in the sector.

You can find all the program and presentations HERE or in the following link:

http://www.inbarworldexpo.com/congress_sessions.html

Hello family and Friends,

Good morning….mmm…good afternoon in Jamaica. I uploaded some pictures last night. Being in a hurry as they told us to be in the hotel lobby by 8:00 am this morning I cannot spend a long time with you right now.The link brings up blackberry pictures of some products made out of bamboo on display at Inbars pavilion at 2010 world expo.

Also on my first posts (because I am in an awfully hurry) you might see some bad spelling but I will correct those in the nights when I retrun to the hotel. Please point them out to me anyway.

For those of you on blackberry messenger I will give you a blow by blow description of what happens today. It will be very interesting I think (frm the Itinerary).

BAMBOO AND RATTAN: ENHANCING LIVES

This is a blackberry picture I took at the INBAR Pavilion yesterday. Bamboo and Rattan: Enhancing lives is Inbars Theme for the exhibition. It fits in well with the 2010 expo theme of “Better Cities, Better Lives”

See you later family and friends.

Inbar Honour Day and Flag Raising Ceremony:

THURSDAY 20 MAY 2010
Hello Family and Friends: Today we had Inbar Honor day and a Flag Raising Ceremony. At the Ceremony we were entertained by performers and the Beijing Bamboo Orchestra using Bamboo instruments in a way that is unbelievable. I uploaded some pictures (I was only able to get low quality blackberry pictures)

The Inbar Pavilion was amazing. It showed the many uses of bamboo which were unimaginable in the past. The creative use of Science and technology has made some amazing things possible. We saw complete houses being designed using a high percentage of bamboo and bamboo derived materials, cheap paper from bamboo, textiles from bamboo, entire furniture pieces from bamboo done in a way that makes it indistinguishable from wood.

Believe me what we have seen so far is simply amazing.

Visits To Some of The Pavilions.

At the 2010 Shanghai World Expo we first visited the Global Urban Planet Pavilion. It was obvious from the crowd that this was a very popular pavilion. It depicted a wide array of  abuse that has been placed on urban cities throughout the world; pollution of the oceans through dumping of tires, bottles, plastics, everything imaginable. The models were remarkably realistic, the sound effects captivating.

The pavilion stuns its visitors into what the uncontrolled pollution and unplanned urbanization is doing and can continue to do to the earth. Alternatives for the way forward to creating better cities were suggested. In my opinion this was a “disney type pavilion”…it was obvious that millions of dollars were spent in creating it.

Action was centred aroung the 2010 Shangai World Expo Today

The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to improving the social, economic, and environmental benefits of bamboo and ratttan. INBAR connects a global network of partners from governmnet, private, and not-for-profit sectors in over 150 countries to define and implement a global agenda for sustainable development through bamboo and rattan.

The congress on Bamboo and Rattan was orgaized to coincide with the 2010 World Expo, the theme of which is “better cities, better lives”. Against this backdrop the congress seeks to bring together policy makers, experts and enthusiasts from around the world to discuss ways in which bamboo and rattan can help protect the environment, conserve scarce resources, enhance rural livelihoods and promote fairer trade. In short, how bamboo and rattan can create better cities and better lives.

INBAR’S STRATEGIC GOALS                                                                     

1. An expanded, highly effective network of committed stakeholders
 
2. Better ways and means of livelihood development, in particular in rural areas

3. Increased and more effective conservation of the environment and of biodiversity
 
4. A better and more innovative market environment, providing fair global-to-local and local-to-global trading systems for income generation

Okay friends and family. I am in Shanghai, China. I am attending the Ministerial Workshop on Bamboo and Rattan Sector Development for Inbar Member Countries. This workshop is sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of the Republic of China (MODCOM) and supervised by the State Forestry Administration of the People’s Repubic of China (SFA). The organizers are the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) and the International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan (ICBR). The workshop starts tomorrow 20 May 2010 and goes until 29 May 2010.

More about INBAR

INBAR is an inter-governmental orgranization established in 1997. In just 8 years it has developed a unique role in finding and demonstrating innovative ways of using bamboo and rattan to alleviate poverty and protect environments and biodiversity, setting up programmes to prove their value and to help people apply what has been learned. The Inbar network is widely recognised as the premiere source of expertise on bamboo and rattan. Its people first perspective, with bottom up and participatory techniques ensures that its activities not only have maximum immediate impact but is sustainable for many years to come.

Hello Family and Friends,

I arrived in Shanghai, China over two hours ago. Overnighted in Beijing after a 14 hour flight from New York. It has been a very interesting experience so far. Everything to do with this visit has been excellently organized…everything moving precisely and smooth…so far.

The Hotel that I have been checked in appears to be an excellent one and the room is superb. There is so much to tell you about China already having just arrived so I will hold things like this hotel room (the best I have experienced after near 3 decades of travelling) for another time.

The representative from INBAR ( I will tell you what that is at a later date too) will be treating me to dinner between 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm today. The local time is now 2:00 pm.

The gentleman who drove me from the Hotel in Beijing to the Beijing International Airport this morning is very proud of China…and I can see why he is. You should see the network of roads and Highways…fantastic. My driver said that 30 years ago China did not have an Highway but now he thinks the roads here are among the best in the world (in fact he said “only second to USA” but that could be due to his limited world experince having never left China).

My driver told my that there are 5 million cars in Beijing and 20 million people. He thinks that China is rich…very rich. He said that Terminal 3 where he took me this morning is the largest in the world and it is not even the only terminal at the airport. Terminal 3 was built for the Beijing Olympics.

More later…. 

In preparation for Gladstone’s visit to China next week we decided to begin browsing the Beijing Review’s web site . We recommend it to you.

Hello Everyone,

 As some of you know Gladstone will be visitng China from 19 May 2010 to 31 May 2010. Over the next 2 weeks we will be trying to cover Gladstone’s visit to China. As a build up to that visit we will be giving you some important information on China. Please enjoy…

China is one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations. In the 19th and 20th century, imperialism, wars and civil wars damaged the country and its economy. In the 1950s, change to economic policies in the Republic of China (Taiwan) transformed the island into a technology-oriented industrialized developed economy.

It became known as one of the Four Asian Tigers along with Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore. In mainland China, in the 1970s, reforms known as the Four Modernizations modernized the agriculture, industry, technology and defense, eventually making the PRC one of the major powers. China is viewed as the source of many major inventions.It has also one of the world’s oldest written language systems.

Historically, China’s cultural sphere has extended across East Asia as a whole, with Chinese religion, customs, and writing systems being adopted to varying degrees by neighbors such as Japan, Korea and Vietnam. The first evidence of human presence in the region was found at the Zhoukoudian cave. It is one of the earliest known specimens of Homoerectus, now commonly known as the Peking Man, estimated to have lived from 300,000 to 780,000 years ago.