Bamboo as change agent - Better life, Better future

In association with Madhya Pradesh State Bamboo Mission (MPSBM) and the Ministry for Environment, Forests & Climate Change, the Forestry and Biodiversity Group of TERI organized a Special Event on "Bamboo as Change Agent: Better Life, Better Future" on 5th February, 2015 during TERI's flagship event-Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS).

The event focused on bringing various stakeholders on one platform on promoting holistic growth of bamboo sector by adopting a strong strategy and to harness the potential of bamboo for livelihood, shelter, food and ecology. The key speakers at the event were Dr Prodipto Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow, Earth Science and Climate Change division, TERI, Dr S S Negi, Additional Director-General of Forests, MoEF & CC, Dr Ajoy Bhattacharya, APCCF and Mission Director, MPSBM and Dr R K Pachauri, Director-General, TERI. Dr J V Sharma, Senior Fellow, TERI spoke on policy and regulations related with the bamboo sector while Mr Dave Mukherjee, CEO, Artison Investments Ltd spoke on potential of bamboo as business model and the role of corporate sector in promoting it. Mr T.P. Subramony and Dr I. V. Ramanuja Rao, representatives of International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) spoke on international bamboo trade and role of bamboo is sustainable development.

The workshop recommended formulating a National Bamboo Policy which shall be adopted by the States keeping specificities of the respective state into consideration and need to establish an umbrella organization- National Bamboo Development Authority / Board where various ministries can interact and enhance the bamboo sector. The other important recommendations were to amend the Indian Forest Act, 1927 in the context of Implementing National forest Policy, 1988 to relax the transit regulation for bamboo and to have a policy for tax exemption and subsidies on Bamboo, Bamboo Products, and Bamboo Machinery, considering bamboo as green material. Dr. S.S. Negi, Additional Director-General of Forests, MoEF & CC concluded the event with hope and assurance that the ministry will take appropriate steps in the direction of formulating a National Bamboo Policy at the earliest.