THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR,
MARCH 30, 2026
Odisha has taken a
decisive step toward building a sustainable and value-driven bamboo economy
with the successful hosting of the “Bamboo Forward Summit — From Ground to
Growth” in Bhubaneswar on Monday. The summit brought together farmers,
artisans, entrepreneurs, industry leaders and policymakers to deliberate on
strengthening the bamboo sector and transforming the state’s abundant natural
resource into a vibrant enterprise-led ecosystem capable of generating
livelihoods and driving industrial growth.
The event opened with
a keynote address by Chief Guest Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma, Principal Secretary of
Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Government of Odisha, who highlighted
bamboo’s immense potential as a sustainable economic driver. He emphasized that
the sector must evolve through an integrated and industry-oriented approach
with strong focus on value addition, engineered bamboo products and enhanced
market linkages to ensure long-term economic viability. His remarks reinforced
the growing recognition of bamboo as a strategic resource that can support
climate-friendly industrialisation while strengthening rural livelihoods.
Technical sessions
during the summit explored diverse aspects of the bamboo value chain, ranging
from its potential in Community Forest Rights areas to practical field
experiences from Koraput. Experts and practitioners discussed emerging
industrial applications such as biochar production and highlighted the
importance of certification frameworks to ensure quality assurance and global
competitiveness. The discussions also underlined the need for convergence with
key government programmes including OFSDP, CAMPA, OFDC and Mission Shakti, as
well as livelihood missions, to create a coordinated ecosystem that supports
producers, processors and entrepreneurs across the bamboo value chain.
The post-lunch
segment shifted focus toward market expansion and enterprise scaling through
trader interactions and a round table discussion that provided critical
insights into demand trends and commercialization strategies. Participants
highlighted the importance of cluster-based development, design-led product
innovation, improved access to finance and stronger market linkages to enhance
competitiveness of bamboo-based enterprises. The deliberations reflected a
growing consensus that bamboo can serve as a strong foundation for green manufacturing
and sustainable business growth when supported by policy convergence and
institutional backing.
The summit witnessed participation from senior officials and sector experts including Dr. K. Murugesan, PCCF & HOFF, Odisha; Swayam Mallik, Director (Operations) of OFDC Ltd.; Karthick V., SMD of the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency; and Sangeeta Agasty, Director of International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation South East Asia Region. Their collective perspectives highlighted the importance of policy support, technology adoption and industry partnerships to accelerate sectoral growth.
The “Bamboo Forward Summit — From Ground to Growth” concluded with a forward-looking roadmap aimed at positioning Odisha as a leading hub for bamboo-based industries. By aligning policy frameworks, strengthening value chains and fostering entrepreneurship, the state is poised to harness bamboo as a key pillar of sustainable economic development, green industrial expansion and rural employment generation.
