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(GIST OF YOJANA) Rooting for Resilient Bamboo

[July-2021]

According to Global Industry Report 2019-2025, the global bamboos market size was valued at USD 68.8 billion in 2018 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.0 per cent from 2019 to 2025. Modem technologies allow use of bamboo as a durable and high-quality wood substitute.

In India, bamboo is an important plant in terms of forest coverage and diversity. It is grown in over 13.96 million hectares across the country—thriving majorly in Madhya Pradesh and the North Eastern states. In fact, the Northeast region alone comprises 60 per cent of India’s Bamboo reserve, and India is reportedly home to about 125 indigenous and 11 exotic species of Bamboo, making the country a significant player in international bamboo export.
However, despite India being the second largest producer of Bamboo, the sector’s growth has left a lot to be desired. Over the past several years, more bamboo products have been imported in India rather than exported according to estimates, the market share of bamboo cultivation in India is only 6 per cent.
The domestic Bamboo industry has been held back owing to a wide variety- of issues in its value chains, including regulatory and legislative barriers to cultivation and harvesting of Bamboo, challenges in its procurement, lack of technical know-how among the primary users of Bamboo, lack of market linkages and insufficient market demand.

The multipurpose and environment-friendly use of bamboo has made it a universal resource for the rural population and its demand is ever-increasing.
To support this demand, the Government of India has launched the restructured ‘National Bamboo Mission’, under the Ministry of Agriculture.
The aim is to foster growth in the sector, create jobs and help increase farmers’ income. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s agenda is also to double farmers’ income by 2022-23, to promote rural welfare, reduce agrarian distress and bring parity between income of farmers and those working in non-agricultural professions.
The growth of Bamboo cultivation and its marketability is key to making this possible.

Population and income growth, increasing exports and favourable demographics.
Hybrid and genetically modified seeds. Favourable climate for agriculture and wide variety of crops,
Mechanisation Irrigational facilities and Green revolution in Eastern India.
A strong demographic dividend and extensive labour force available in India.
Growing institutional credit, Increasing MSP, Introduction of new schemes like Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Krishi, Sinchai Yojana, and Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana and opening exports of wheat and rice.
Initiatives like Kisan Rath (mobile app for farmers, FPOs and traders), 200+ Kisan Rails and Krishi Udaan Scheme for produce transportation, and Perishable Cargo Centres, cold storage facilities at Airports and Inland Container Depot as well as cargo terminals and warehouses.

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare inaugurated by virtual mode 22 bamboo clusters in nine States—namely Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Karnataka. A logo for the National Bamboo Mission was also released.
The Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre (CBTC) has designed a project for the sustainable development of the bamboo industries to create a livelihood for people in the North Eastern India. Ministry of Tribal Affairs initiated the ‘4P 1000 Initiative: The Tribal Perspective through Bamboonomics’ at COP 14 UNCCD 2019.
NITI Aayog in July 2020 urged the state governments to carry bamboo and sandalwood tree plantation drives in a first-of-its kind initiative of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) towards monetisation of available vacant land resources and financial sustainability for farmers.

Such initiatives can bring an organised bamboo cultivation structure within the country and facilitate more income for the rural population as well as contribute enormously to the national economy.
The Government of India is committed to enhance rural livelihoods and infrastructure development opportunities through the bamboo sector, using a holistic approach.
This includes creating strong mechanisms of knowledge dissemination and exchange of good practices, improving technical standards, capacity building and skills development of cultivators, supporting bamboo startups and facilitating commercialisation of bamboo products.