Call for formation of Bamboo Board

Enabling bamboo enterprises, bamboo for social sector, and livelihood development were some of the topics discussed during the workshop organised as part of the Kerala Bamboo Fest.

Experts attending a workshop here on evolving a bamboo policy for the country called for the formation of a Bamboo Board after other commodity boards to free bamboo from its current constraints and to realise its potential.

The workshop was organised as part of the ongoing Kerala Bamboo Fest 2014 and in collaboration with Kerala State Bamboo Mission, Centre for Civil Society and South Asian Bamboo Foundation with support from Friedrich Naumann Foundation, said a statement issued by Kerala State Bamboo Mission.

India has 20 per cent of the bamboo resources in the world and the Northeast is home to more than 50 per cent of these resources.

Member of Kerala State Planning Board and vice chairman of Kerala State Bamboo Mission C.P. John, who inaugurated the workshop, said India now needed a “strong legislative framework to facilitate the bamboo sector”.

P.K. Mohanty, Additional Chief Secretary, Forests and Wildlife, addressed the workshop, which was attended by delegates from different parts of India as well as from Nepal and Afghanistan. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests B.S. Corrie delivered a special address at the workshop.

Enabling bamboo enterprises, bamboo for social sector and livelihood development were some of the areas that were discussed during the workshop attended both by policy makers and stakeholders.

Creation of a legislative framework, which would define bamboo and deal with harvesting regulations and transit permits, was also discussed during the workshop. Inclusion of bamboo in housing schemes, sanitation campaigns, community and livelihood enterprises as well as cluster development for bamboo were other issues highlighted during the workshop.