Exploring the Potential for Bamboo Agroforestry through a Value Chain Approach in Thailand, using Cloud-based Data Management on Google Earth Engine

Abstract

Abstract The global construction sector consumes almost half of the world's total material production footprint, implying it is the highest single-category material footprint across the global economy. In the search for nature-based alternatives, bamboo grass can become a mainstream building material in the global tropical belt due to significantly shorter rotation times compared to softwood or hardwood species. To determine bamboo potential within a value-chain work frame, the first step is to evaluate the potential land for cultivation. Technically driven soil selection, with optimal climatic conditions, can generate culms taller than 20 m or, on the contrary, culms of a maximum of 6 to 7 m in height. The correct choice of soil also favors the plantation owner since faster plant development will be observed; the plantation will show a higher number of culms, larger diameters, cheaper production, and shorter times until plant maturity, thus requiring less time to recover the initial investment. This research presents a remote-sensing-based tool for surveying and exploring bamboo agroforestry potential over the entire national territory of Thailand based on climatic conditions, altitude, topography, existing land cover, and soil characteristics (texture and acidity). Through the implementation of the research, a total amount of 345,838 km² with viable growth conditions was discovered. 45,968 km² (13.29%) show basic compatibility levels, 242,198 km² (70.03%) show intermediate levels and 57,672 km² (16.68%) present optimal growth conditions. The corresponding regions were located on an interactive geoportal with a 100 m-per-pixel resolution and the ability to benchmark the individual selection criteria.