• A Bamboo Village is a minimum of 2000 ha of degraded land, with one-third planted with bamboo. It involves at least 200 households who jointly manage the bamboo plantings as a social forestry asset in a communal business scheme.
  
  
• The 2000 hectares of degraded land for bamboo village land does not necessarily have to be a single compact land unit but can also be a combination of several separate land units within the same landscape, providing flexibility and adaptability in the land selection process.
  
  
• One-third of the land should be allocated for bamboo planting. At the same time, the remaining two-thirds could be utilized to cultivate a diverse mix of species and establish an agroforestry system.
  
  
• A medium-rooted and a deep-rooted species will be the best combination to plant with bamboo, as this will impact the landscape’s land conservation and reservoir function the most.
  
  
• A bamboo village is terminology for a management unit consisting of several village administrative areas within the landscape. 

• Backbone Landscape Partner (BBLP) is an established non-profit organization that works on landscape, social forestry projects, and other agrarian issues.
  
  
• BBLP’s primary responsibility is to manage Bamboo Village, foster the Champion(s), and support them in developing Bamboo Village by providing three pillars: Landscape Coordinator, Village Facilitator, and Technical Facilitator.
  
  
• A BBLP could propose a maximum of 3 Bamboo Villages in one round, with one Champion in each Bamboo Village.

• Backbone Landscape Partners (BBLP) must be a non-profit organization that works on landscape, social forestry projects, and/or other agroforestry-related issues.
  
  
• A Champion is a leader and catalyst for the community in the development of the bamboo village. A Champion will, therefore, convene all the stakeholder, lead the bamboo farmers in implementing the 12-step bamboo forest, executing the 4 Plans created in the Champion Activation Phase, and overseeing the management functions of the community coops.
  
  
• Bamboo farmers are collective members from a minimum of 200 households who work on 2,000 hectares of land in a single bamboo village.

Geographically, a Bamboo Village is a collection of 2,000 hectares of land, with at least one-third designated for bamboo planting. It is important to note that it doesn’t have to correspond to an administrative village. A Bamboo Village can exist in different geographical locations nearby if it comprises 2,000 hectares of land managed under a single cooperative system.

• In collaboration with the Backbone Landscape Partner, the Champion will identify potential business sectors that can serve as off-takers for the bamboo product, initiate contact, and propose a cooperative scheme as part of the business plan.
• In identifying these bamboo off-takers, the Champion and BBLP may ask for advice and considerations from relevant local government agencies, business associations, or chambers of commerce at any level.

• The best option is the indigenous bamboo species, especially those already absorbed in the supply chain to any level of markets. However, it is also possible to plant introduced bamboo species if there is a specific demand from a particular market or industry.
  
  
• The suitability of planted bamboo species in each location is indicated by its well-growth and the absence of moss and/or other diseases.

• If the project starts with a bamboo nursery program, the bamboo will usually be ready to be harvested in 7 years.
  
  
• If the village already has bamboo clumps, it can be harvested using a sustainable bamboo harvesting system. However, harvesting can only be done following a previously developed business plan.
  
  
• Therefore, the business plan must plan for both the harvesting of preexisting bamboo and those grown from seedlings. Harvesting can only occur once the business plan has been approved and implemented and the off-takers are also prepared to make purchases.

As the bamboo village initiative is not intended to be just a planting activity but also to create a social forestry asset to increase local community income sources, then bamboo village development can only take place if there is a clear plan from the government or other parties to build adequate access roads to the bamboo planting sites during this bamboo village development period.

It means there are no overlapping authorities, ownership and/or concessionaires, permits, and licenses over the landscape planned for the bamboo village.

• Policies in each country vary on the activities allowed in each specific conservation area. However, national parks and protected forests usually have utilization zones for local communities to utilize non-timber forest products like bamboo.
  
  
• However, each country’s policy on this issue still needs to be confirmed further by BBLP.
  
  
• Our borderline concerning the development of this bamboo village is whether the area is allowed for the sustainable planting and harvesting of bamboo by local community organizations.

• Bamboo can grow well on almost all soil types, especially on land associated with brown-latosol and gray-regosol soil. Bamboo will quickly grow in wetlands and peatlands. In addition, string bamboo or wormwood bamboo is one type of bamboo that can thrive in peatlands.
  
  
• While bamboo can grow in soils with high acidity, it is essential to understand each site condition and soil chemistry appropriate for the type of bamboo to be planted.

Bamboo village development is still possible on private land as long as the landowner agrees to share the result of bamboo harvesting as a communal asset with a fair benefit sharing and in context for poverty alleviation.

No single individual or organization can have all the skills and experience. Our process itself is also an iterative and learning-by-doing process. It would be helpful if BBLP collaborated with experts, advisors, and authorities to develop outstanding proposals and plans.

• Bamboo Village Trust (BVT) develops and manages its funded project portfolios as a project management unit and ensures that all projects align with the trust fund’s overall goals.
  
  
• BVT will provide various guidelines and technical support to BBLPs in a consultative manner to ensure the successful implementation of the Bamboo Village Initiative within their respective landscape.
  
  
• BVT will transfer knowledge about the Bamboo Village Initiative, including the 12 steps of a sustainable bamboo forest, which BBBLP will share with the Champion and from the Champion to the cooperative members.

• Request for Information (RFI) Form,
  
  
• 7 Enabling Conditions Forms,
  
  
• 8 Request for Proposal (RFP) Forms,
  
  
• 7 Enabling Conditions Webinar,
  
  
• GIS-based data related to the sites,
  
  
• Selected site that meets the criteria for Bamboo Social Forestry,
  
  
• Finding a Champion for each Bamboo Village,
  
  
• Assisting the Champion in drafting the four documents (Operational Plan, Business Plan, Benefit Sharing Plan, and Tenurial Access Plan),
  
  
• Assisting the Champion in carrying out all stages of the Bamboo Village Initiative, including the implementation of the four-document plan for the establishment of the Bamboo Village,
  
  
• Reporting, Monitoring, & Evaluation through the whole process of the Bamboo Village Initiative.

• RRA Report,
  
  
• Induction and capacity building coops member on 12 steps of a Sustainable Bamboo-based Agroforestry system,
  
  
• Compose the 4 Document Plans (Operational Plan, Business Plan, Benefit Sharing Plan, and Tenurial Access Plan) with assistance from BBLP,
• Report on Management Readiness (GEDSI, Indigenous People, and Climate Issues Mitigation),
  
  
• Organize and lead the community coops in implementing the 4 Plan for the development of the bamboo village,
  
  
• And responsible for all things needed to make the bamboo village.

• Degraded Land restored.
  
  
• Restoration Economy achieved.
  
  
• Potential donors for circular economy unlocked.

• Household income of farmer members of the cooperative increased.
• Emerge of new businesses along the bamboo supply chains.
• Bankable social forestry asset.
• Increase in land productivity.
• Streamline the process along the agroforestry commodities supply chain.

• 30% of the landscape was planted with bamboo, and the other 60% with other valuable species and.
• Escalated land cover.
• Reduced prior landslides (if any).
• Re-emergence of springs in and surrounding landscape (especially those once dry).
• A life percentage of planted bamboo of at least 70% indicated healthy growth (no disease, moss-free) at least three months after plantation.

• Increase in GEDSI participation.
• Increase Government Support towards the Bamboo Village Initiative within the respective landscape.
• Better understanding of agroforestry management within the bamboo village.
• Improve livelihood and job opportunities within the village to prevent migration.
• Reduction of conflicts due to social disparities at the local level.
• Redistribution of access to natural resource management that impacted poverty reduction.

• Induction and capacity building for the BBLP and Champion in preparation for drafting the four-document plan.
• Induction and capacity building about the 12 steps of a Sustainable  Bamboo-Based Agroforestry system.
• GEDSI integration, along with the implementation process of the Bamboo Village Initiative.
• Financial and Institutional Management assistance.

• BBLP can assume the role of an off-taker for the products produced by farmers in the Bamboo Village but not as the landowner or as the holder of concession rights.
• BVT does not anticipate BBLP becoming the landowner or the concession holder, which could lead to a conflict of interest because BBLP would be both the recipient of grant funds and the asset owner.

• To restore the degraded land and, at the same time, to create a Social Forestry Aset.
• Social Forestry Asset is a communal asset utilized to improve the farmers’ welfare.
• There must be a clear commitment, evidenced by a legally binding written agreement, that the results of bamboo planting will become communal assets. These assets should be managed jointly and with a fair (proportional) benefit-sharing scheme.

• The Bamboo Village Trust prefers that each NGO applying to become a Backbone Landscape Partner (BBLP) is already established in its respective working area and should, thus, already have a good relationship with the respective governments in each region. 
• Furthermore, the Request for Proposal (RFP) is a selection process. It does not guarantee that a particular NGO will be selected, so if BVT were to collaborate with the government, it would be more appropriate to establish such cooperation after it can be confirmed that BVT has Backbone Landscape Partners in various countries and regions.

• BVT supports two types of budget. Firstly, support of USD 150,000 will be disbursed in 3 tranches and used by the Champion and the community to carry out and implement all necessary field activities to match the expected outcomes for establishing the Bamboo Village. Secondly, support of USD 50,000-75,000 is to be managed by BBLP, which will be allocated to 3 facilitators (Landscape Coordinator, Technical Facilitator, and Village Facilitator) who will assist the Champion and communities in establishing the Bamboo Village.
• BVT understands that the budget will only cover some of the costs and professional fees of the activities. This funding scheme is a preparatory grant, which should be viewed as a stimulus package for community empowerment programs implemented and managed by BBLP. In this initiative, BVT aims to support communities in building communal assets for economic recovery while restoring nature.
• BVT hopes this limited budget support can be used wisely to cover all the necessary expenses, as it does not provide additional budget coverage.

• Implementing the Bamboo Village Initiative in entirely new areas and communities will require a great deal of preparation and conditioning both within the community and on the land, which is challenging to complete within the available time during this call for proposal period.
• Therefore, implementing this initiative is recommended for NGOs that have already been working in a particular landscape before, especially if they have been working on social forestry projects. Thus, the Bamboo Village Initiative becomes an insertion into existing social forestry.
• The Bamboo Village Initiative, managed communally by the community cooperatives, can improve and accelerate the achievement of land restoration goals, the creation of social forestry assets, and the addition of more stable income sources for the community.

• A Consortium of Effort for the Bamboo Village Initiative is a collaborative initiative to implement the Bamboo Village Model within its respective landscape and potentially revolutionize the agroforestry practice.
• This consortium can involve multiple stakeholders, including communities, local governments, private sectors, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and academic institutions.
• The goal is to harness bamboo’s benefits as an agroforestry-based product for communities and a sustainable development driver.

A cooperative system is a collaborative arrangement or organization that is legally incorporated, in which individuals or groups work together towards a common goal or share resources for mutual benefit. Members have an equal say in decision-making and share the profits or benefits of the cooperative’s activities.

• According to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), degraded land has lost some natural productivity due to human-induced actions or natural causes.
• Land degradation can result from many factors, such as deforestation, overgrazing, soil erosion, desertification, drought, climate change, and pollution.
• Land degradation affects the lives and livelihoods of billions of people, especially in developing countries, and threatens food security, biodiversity, and ecosystem services.