Bhubaneswar: The “Bamboo Forward Summit — From Ground to Growth” was successfully held today at Lyfe Hotel in Bhubaneswar, bringing together a diverse group of farmers, artisans, entrepreneurs, industry representatives, and policymakers. The summit served as a crucial platform to deliberate on strengthening the bamboo sector in Odisha, with the aim of transforming the state’s rich natural resources into a robust, enterprise-driven ecosystem.
The event commenced with an inaugural session featuring a keynote address by the Chief Guest, Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma, Principal Secretary of Forest, Environment, and Climate Change, Government of Odisha. Sarma emphasized that bamboo holds significant potential as a key driver of sustainable livelihoods and economic growth. He further noted that its development must be approached in an integrated, industry-oriented manner, with strong focus on value addition, engineered products, and market linkages.
Technical sessions throughout the day covered a wide range of themes, including bamboo potential in Community Forest Rights areas, field experiences from Koraput, industrial applications such as biochar, and certification frameworks for quality assurance. Discussions also explored convergence with major government programs such as OFSDP, CAMPA, OFDC, Mission Shakti, and other livelihood missions to enable integrated development of the sector.
Post-lunch sessions shifted to market-focused discussions, featuring trader interactions and a roundtable discussion. These sessions provided vital market insights and identified strategies for scaling bamboo-based enterprises. The deliberations highlighted the importance of cluster development, design-led product diversification, improved market linkages, and enhanced access to finance.
The summit was also attended by K. Murugesan, PCCF & HOFF, Odisha; Swayam Mallik, Director (Operations) of OFDC Ltd.; Karthick V., SMD of the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency (OBDA); and Sangeeta Agasty, Director of INBAR South East Asia Region. The event concluded with a clear roadmap to transform Odisha’s bamboo sector, positioning the state as a leading hub for bamboo-based industries and sustainable economic growth.
