[Assam] NE cane-bamboo products make international foray (The Assam Tribune, 18.12.2007)

[Buljit Buragohain]

NE cane-bamboo products make international foray
By A City Reporter
 GUWAHATI, Dec 17 – Often termed as ‘poor man’s timber’ due to its easy availability, minimal cost of production and abundant use in rural areas, cane and bamboo products from the Northeast are slowly but steadily making headway in the international market. 

The exquisite cane and bamboo products exhibited in an international forum at Vienna by the Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre of North East recently, received great complements from the international delegates.

“The north-eastern bamboo products, occupying 60 per cent of country’s resources and 90 per cent of the market in India, could be a major money earner for the artisans here,” said the Director of the CBTC, Kamesh Shalam while talking to The Assam Tribune.

“Till now, our cane and bamboo artisans are sought as the trainers in Orissa, Tamil Nadu and other Indian States, but after the exhibition, many African, South American and other countries expressed their interest to train their artisans in cane and bamboo crafts,” he added. 

The Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre (CBTC) was set up in the year 2000 under funding from the United Nation’s Development Programme and was implemented by the United Nations’ Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). The centre is functioning for the development of cane and bamboo in Northeast India in particular and the country in general. 

In order to showcase the achievements of all the 172 member countries of UNIDO, the South East Asian office of the UNIDO invited all the member countries to participate in the annual general conference of UNIDO held in Vienna. In the exhibition, the cane and bamboo products were displayed by the CBTC under the theme ‘Poverty Reduction Through Productive Activities.’ It may be mentioned here that the CBTC has also been a pioneer organisation providing technical guidance to the National Bamboo Mission.

“The stall in Vienna exhibition, showcasing the Indian cane and bamboo products was visited by Kandeh Yumkella, Director General of UNIDO, Lansana Kouyate, prime minister of Guinea, Fedrick Tluwan Sumaye, Prime Minister of Tanzania, Zeljko Sturanovic, Prime Minister of Montenegro among others. While appreciating the diversified developmental activities initiated by CBTC through the use of cane and bamboo, many of the leaders requested CBTC to help them in setting up technology centres in their countries,” said the sources from the CBTC. Products ranging from village level to industrial level were displayed in the exhibition. 

As there is a worldwide demand for green environment and eco-friendly products, the cane and bamboo products are best suited for the purpose. Now the centre is vying for a bamboo industrial zone. 

“In an official handout issued at the conference the CBTC’s concept of ‘Bamboo Processing Zone’ was hailed as a major innovation. When put in practice, the initiative will be first of its kind in the world,” added Shalam. 

While visiting the exhibition, SK Sharma, Indian Ambassador to Austria said, “This exhibition displays how a concerted entrepreneur approach to utilise natural products can translate into so many tangible products – which relate directly to society, to development and to the environment.” 

India is world’s second largest producer after China and the second richest country in the world in terms of bamboo genetic diversity with 136 species of bamboos found all over the country.

The centre with UNIDO as the implementing agency, is playing key role in promoting natural resources like cane and bamboo in the region as well as in the country and all our efforts are directed towards transforming the poor man’s timber into green gold to change the lives of the cane and bamboo producers,” said a CBTC official.

   
  (The Assam Tribune,18.12.2007)



       
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