Chizokho Vero
Kisama | September 18
Vice President of India Dr. M. Hamid Ansari today said various technical, financial and entrepreneurial interventions are needed in the field of forestry, land-use, propagation technology for bamboo cultivation and sustainable use, and in the areas of industry and finance.
“I am confident that the economic and technological capacities of our nation can bring about a bamboo revolution in the country,” said Dr. Ansari addressing the first World Bamboo Day programme in Kisama today, about 13 kms away from Kohima. Dr. Ansari said that although the north east region of India is underdeveloped economically it “is extremely rich in natural resources.” “Bamboo is a prominent natural resource of the region. The North East, with about 8% of the geographical area of the country, accounts for 66 per cent of bamboo resources of the country spread over an area of about 3.10 million hectares and housing over 89 species of bamboo.”
He said the raw stock of bamboo in the north east region is conservatively valued at Rs. 5,000 crore. Even with a modest target of two-fold value addition to the stock through suitable methodologies, an annual turnover of approximately Rs. 10,000 crore can be generated in the region.
“In the context of India’s economy, the market size of bamboo is expected to touch a figure of Rs. 42,000 crores in the next fifteen to twenty years,” he said. Such an enormous potential for wealth creation in rural areas, if exploited properly, can truly benefit the people of the region and change their-day-today-lives for the better, the vice president said.
Dr. Ansari also pointed to the importance of bamboo in the backdrop of global concerns about ecology and environment and the threat of Global Warming and Climate Change.
“Bamboo is emerging as the most viable wood substitute. Unlike steel and plastic, it is eco friendly, being not only biodegradable but also having enormous capacity to sequester carbon,” he said. It is the fastest growing plant on earth, renewable resources with short gestation, Dr. Ansari said.
He said the state of Nagaland has been a pioneer and has adopted a bamboo policy in 2004. The policy articulates the development of bamboo in Nagaland along two approaches – development of bamboo as a resources and as an enterprise.
“Developing bamboo as a resource is focused on optimal cultivation and management of bamboo resources, through development of natural bamboo forests and bamboo plantation development,” he said adding the development of bamboo as an enterprise is focused on developing bamboo – based industries, service sectors and ancillary activities including tourism.”
Dr. Ansari also gave away citations to five ‘bamboo pioneers’ from India – Dr. Cherla B. Sastry from Andhra Pradesh, Late Vinoo Kaley of Maharastra, Sampuran Singh of Meghalaya, Rajib Goswami from Assam and Richard Belho of Nagaland for their contribution to the development of the bamboo sector in India.
Guest of honour Nagaland’s Governor Nikhil Kumar said nearly 5% of the country’s growing bamboo stock is in Nagaland covering an area of 4, 48,000 hectares. “Bamboo grows extensively in the north eastern states and it plays an important role not only in the lives of people of Nagaland but of the people of the entire north east India,” he said.
He said the government recognized its ecological significance and economic potential and formulated a policy, the Nagaland Bamboo Policy. With assistance from the Government of India and the ongoing peace process, he said “we hope will resolve the long-standing Naga political problem, we look forward to a time in the near future where the people of this state will enjoy permanent peace which will date conditions conducive to development, progress and prosperity.”
Also, Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio said the presence of Vice President and lady wife Salma Ansari at the World Bamboo Day in Nagaland has not only elevated the status of this event. It has also sent a message across the globe encouraging people associated with bamboo and promoting its use.
Rio, who is also an honorary council member of the World Bamboo Organization took the opportunity to announced that the next World Bamboo Congress will be jointly sponsored at two locations in Europe and France in 2012 focusing on bamboo biosciences, bioengineering and agro-forestry and bamboo-design innovation and architecture.
Rio requested all bamboo enthusiasts, especially from north eastern region in India to take part in such events “as we will not only learn but get an opportunity to show to the world the importance of the region as a rich bamboo territory, with resources and traditions and with a future in bamboo production and export.” World Bamboo Organization president Kamesh Salam said the vote of thanks.
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