..Guadua angustifolia has a long cultural tradition in the coastal lowlands of West Ecuador. Despite its excellent mechanical properties and versatility, it has mostly been used as a raw material for low-cost housing, while further product development has been very limited until now. In the last years, a Guadua revival seems to have occurred and improved building techniques together with other commercial applications are slowly getting momentum." (Cleuren and Henkemans, 2003) However, it is noted that this sector in the country of Ecuador is "...still in the initial stage of development and the first investments in artisanal workshops and in industrial applications are now being developed. However, the production chain is hardly organized, the actors lack strategic planning and the activities in the different stages of the chain are not synchronized. The challenge is to link the processing industry to a rural supply system benefiting the impoverished part of the population. The management and primary processing of Guadua culms could become an important income source for Ecuador's rural poor, provided that they are supported in the acquirement of basic skills and the development of small enterprises. Moreover, planting Guadua has several environmental advantages and, thus, may offer a win-win scenario resulting in genuine sustainable development. This article tries to answer the question if Ecuador is on the right track towards such development and whether this trend stands on its own, or could be exemplary for other countries in South America with large bamboo resources." (Cleuren and Henkemans, 2003) the work of Ofori (nd) entitled: "Construction in Disaster Management" relates that in countries such as Ecuador which are prone to disasters, "...the situation is getting worse. Moreover, the frequency of disasters and their effects seem to be increasing. Of the 100 most costly natural disasters of the 20th century, 65 occurred in the 1990s, 25 in the 1980s and 10 in the 1970s, and much fewer in previous decades. Much of the physical damage from disasters is to products of the construction industry." (nd) Ofori relates that in 1996, the Habitat Agenda was passed which "...urged local, national and international action to enhance capabilities in disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness; and the Draft Declaration on Cities and other Human Settlements in the New Millennium." (Ofori, nd) the Draft Declaration states: "...committing the international community to improving prevention, preparedness, mitigation, and response capabilities with the cooperation of national and international networks in...
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