CFC/INBAR stakeholders consultation during the Bamboo Cultural Festival in Wuyishan City on 23 October 2006.

The objective of the consultative CFC/INBAR Forum is to discuss the development challenges that developing country producers are confronted with and to identify the priority constraints in the supply chain of bamboo and rattan covered by INBAR. The Fund's Program Approach is a framework of coherent set of priorities and sharply focused activities designed to achieve specific, time bound development objectives within the operational niche of the CFC, namely, supply chain management, diversification, market access and market development. The CFC's Program Approach for the above mentioned commodities is particularly geared towards identifying targeted priority issues that are presumed to present the greatest opportunity for poverty reduction for small and medium producers and the poorer strata of populations through specific and sharply focused interventions.

During the half a day forum, the consultative meeting is expected to review the current situation of supply and demand and competitive positions of the developing producing countries. The participants will also assess the relevance of the challenges that producers face within the specific operational niche of the CFC and will identify three or four specific areas or themes for future CFC project support in the forthcoming 3d Five Year Action Plan (2008-2012). In doing so, the CFC and the other stakeholders present at the meeting would establish a specific course for CFC/INBAR interventions. The framework will be reviewed and updated as deemed appropriate taking into account the challenges taking place in the international commodity market.

For the entire Bamboo Festival program please visit INBAR page: http://www.inbar.int/news/news73.htm