IPB Students Explore the Potential of Bamboo as the Future Foundation
Bamboo is a plant that has important roles in the lives of Indonesian people, but now it is somewhat forgotten and abandoned. In fact, there is still a lot of potential that has not been explored from bamboo. The EFFORT National Seminar 2018, with the theme "Bamboo for Sustainable Future", tried to bring this potential to the people of Indonesia. This event was held on Saturday (13/10) at the Andi Hakim Nasution (AHN) Auditorium of the IPB Dramaga Campus, Bogor as the work of the Student Association of Forest Products Department (Himasiltan) of the Bogor Agricultural University (IPB).
"Hopefully this seminar will be beneficial for the progress of the nation in the future," said Mohammad Anas Setiawan when delivering a message from the chief executive, Febrian Erico Hutapea. Lecturers from the Department of Forest Products, Faculty of Forestry of IPB, as well as students from the National Technology Institute, Gadjah Mada University, and Diponegoro University also attended this activity. "Thank you for your cooperation," said Muhammad Yusuf Effendi, Chair of Himasiltan of IPB.
"Hopefully this seminar will bring changes in the use of bamboo by the community," Dr. Ir. Deded Sarip Nawawi, M.Sc, Chair of the Department of Forest Products, Faculty of Forestry, IPB.
"Bamboo has a simple structure," said Prof. Dr. Ir. Imam Wahyudi M.S, one of the lecturers and experts on bamboo anatomy in Indonesia. Its simplicity does not prevent bamboo from having benefits for its surroundings. Its anatomical structure allows it to survive in extreme environment and absorb more carbon dioxide than other plants. Bamboo can also be used as a substitute for wood construction. "Its strength is equivalent to mild steel," explained Dr. Ir. Nareswara Nugroho M.S, a lecturer of Forest Products Department of IPB who is also a bamboo construction expert in Indonesia.
The amount of bamboo in Indonesia makes the history of Indonesian society never separated from this plant. Its use varies, from traditional ceremonies to building materials. The role of bamboo in Indonesia itself was hampered in 1970, because it was considered to disturb the cleanliness and activities of residents. "At that time, bamboo was also considered as an identity of poverty," said Jajang A. Sonjaya S.S, M.Hum, Director of Bambubos. This stigma causes the low bamboo value in front of modern Indonesian society.
"We have a lot of bamboo, but we can't use it properly," added Yoyo Budiman, Chair of the Indonesian Bamboo Entrepreneurs Association (Perbubi). Yoyo said that the potential of bamboo in Indonesia is large enough to be able to move the country's economic wheel. Yoyo and his organization, Perbubi, plan to add selling value to bamboo in order to achieve maximum results of bamboo in Indonesia aimed to be exported. The plan, according to him, requires all bamboo entrepreneurs, especially those who work in the small bamboo industries.
One of the bamboo entrepreneurs is Alur Bamboo Studio. This company is one of the art studios that make various daily products using bamboo. Their products range from decorative lights, food serving equipment, to manual coffee-making stands. "We use bamboo to create ready-to-use products for the community," explained Amal Machali as a representative of Alur Bamboo Studio.
Bamboo is also present in the field of architecture due to its flexible characteristic as an earthquake resistant material. Dr. -Ing Andry Widyowijatnoko ST MT IAI, one of the bamboo architects in Indonesia, tries to reintroduce bamboo to the Indonesian people by combining it with other building materials. "We still use concrete, but there is bamboo inside it," explained Andry. Bamboo is also combined with wood as a connection material. The bamboo projects of this architect vary, from the construction of shelters in Palu to luxury resorts in Bali. (Rp/ris/ZSP)
