The Rovuma Belt Bamboo Project

The Fundação Para o Desenvolvimento de Palma (FPDP) was established in response to the 2021 crisis, grounded in the belief that sustainable peace is built through economic inclusion. Born from local presence and longterm commitment, FPDP was created to work alongside communities—not around them—developing solutions that are practical, scalable, and deeply rooted in place. Bamboo sits at the heart of FPDP’s approach because it responds simultaneously to social, economic, and environmental challenges. In a region facing climate stress, limited income opportunities, and land degradation, bamboo offers a solution that is both regenerative and productive—capable of delivering impact quickly while building long-term value. The Rovuma Bamboo Belt is FPDP’s flagship initiative— designed as a regenerative economic corridor that restores land, creates livelihoods, and anchors long-term industrial development in Cabo Delgado. Stretching along key transport routes between Palma and Mocímboa da Praia, the Belt connects rural communities to markets, infrastructure, and opportunity, transforming degraded landscapes into productive, community-owned assets. The primary objective is to reach a critical scale at which bamboo cultivation becomes economically self-sustaining and capable of supporting downstream industries. This includes: Expanding bamboo plantations to approximately 1,000 hectares, creating the biomass base required for industrial feasibility, restoring up to 5,000 hectares of degraded land through reforestation with native bamboo species and establishing stable, long-term income streams for communities through cooperatives and supply agreements.