National Bamboo Mission

The mission intends to enhance the area under bamboo cultivation and marketing while fostering the sector's overall growth through the adoption of an area-based, regionally unique strategy. By encouraging the establishment of new nurseries and bolstering those that already exist, the mission has taken initiatives to boost the supply of high-quality planting material. The Mission is stepping up its promotion of bamboo products, notably those used in handicrafts, in order to address forward integration.

What is National Bamboo Mission?

The National Bamboo Mission (NBM), which has been reorganized, was introduced in 2018–19 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS).

NBM primarily focuses on the development of the entire value chain of the bamboo industry to connect producers with consumers, starting with planting materials, plantations, and the establishment of facilities for collection, aggregation, processing, marketing, micro, small & medium enterprises, skilled manpower, and brand-building initiatives in a cluster approach mode.

Background

A diverse group of plants known as bamboo is able to give humans ecological, economic, and livelihood security. It was previously restricted to the forests (12.8% of the total forest cover), with two-thirds of the growing stock being in the North-Eastern States. Due to the crop's significance as a source of raw materials for home and industrial usage, as well as the country's expanding need, farmlands had to be used for its growth.

The National Bamboo Mission (NBM), a sub-scheme of the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), is being conducted by the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC), Ministry of Agriculture, and Farmers Welfare in order to maximize the potential of the bamboo crop.

Year-by-year information on financial support given in the past three years for the development of bamboo and bamboo products under the former National Bamboo Mission (up until the year 2017–18) and the reorganized National Bamboo Mission (beginning the year 2018–19) is as follows −

Years	Released Amount (Lakh Rs.)
2016-2017	1689.38
2017-2018	1052.54
2018-2019	15003.13
2019-2020	1248.76,etc

Objectives of National Bamboo Mission

There are some main objectives of National Bamboo Mission as given below,

• To expand the area covered by bamboo plantations on public and private non-forest lands in order to complement agricultural income, promote resiliency to climate change, and ensure the supply of high-quality raw materials for enterprises.

• The development of creative primary processing facilities close to the point of production, primary treatment and seasoning plants, preservation technologies, and market infrastructure.

• To encourage product development while keeping market demand in mind and to support larger industries by supporting R&D, entrepreneurship, and business models at the micro, small, and medium levels.

• To resurrect India's underdeveloped bamboo industry.

• To encourage the growth of skills, capacities, and awareness for the development of the bamboo sector from production to market demand.

Strategy for National Bamboo Mission

The following tactics would be used by the mission to accomplish the aforementioned goals −

• Adopt a coordinated strategy for marketing and production to ensure that growers and producers receive fair returns.

• Encourage the development of new technologies and plant kinds for increased output.

• Increase bamboo productivity and area (in both forest and non-forest locations) by varietal alteration and better agricultural methods.

• Encourage collaboration, convergence, and synergy between R&D and marketing agencies across the public and commercial sectors.

• In order to secure support and adequate returns for farmers, promote cooperatives and self-help organizations where applicable.

• To create employment chances for both skilled and unskilled workers, in particular for young people who are unemployed.

• Create systems at the national, state, and sub-state levels to guarantee farmers receive enough rewards for their output and to do away with middlemen to the extent possible.

Benefits of National Bamboo Mission

There are some benefits of National Bamboo Mission-

• The program would help farmers, local craftspeople, and other persons involved in the bamboo industry, as well as the related industries, directly and indirectly.

• The plan calls for planting a little over 100,000 hectares. Consequently, the plantation will directly assist close to a lakh farmers.

• The program would contribute to reducing the import of bamboo goods and increasing the farmers' revenue.

• It establishes a whole value chain to support the expansion of the bamboo industry.

Conclusion

In order for the states to assist the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan through a "Aatmanirbhar Krishi," the National Bamboo Mission's objectives must be accomplished (self-reliant farming). Given the quantity of bamboo and its rapidly growing industry, India should strive to establish itself in global markets for both engineered and handcrafted goods by increasing exports even more.

FAQs

Q1. When was national bamboo mission started in India?

Ans. The National Bamboo Mission (NBM), which was first introduced in 2006–07 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, was incorporated into the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) in 2014–15 and carried on through 2015–16.

Q2. Which state has highest bamboo in India?

Ans. Eastern India, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, and West Bengal, is home to more than 50% of the world's bamboo species. The A & N Islands, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and the Western Ghats are further bamboo-rich regions.

Q3. How profitable is bamboo farming in India?

Ans. One acre of bamboo plantation costs between Rs 12000 and Rs 15000 in total. The harvest won't come for three years. It will yield five times the total cost of planting in the first year of harvest. The yield return will multiply income six to seven times annually starting after three years.

Q4. Is National Bamboo Mission central sector scheme?

Ans. The National Bamboo Mission is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme that was first implemented in 2006–2007 and then incorporated into the MIDH for the fiscal years 2014–2015 and 2015–2016.

Q5. What is national bamboo scheme?

Ans. To expand the area covered by bamboo plantations on non-forest government and private properties in order to enhance agricultural income, help build resilience to climate change, and help meet the demand for high-quality raw materials from industry.