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UWAHATI: Nagaland has taken the lead in the fight against climate change through bamboo at the VIIIth World Bamboo Congress (WBC) that began in
Bangkok on Wednesday.
Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio shared the podium with Asean secretary-general asserting that his state had made significant progress and was helping in the global process of reversal of climate change. The event was inaugurated by Asean secretary-general Surin Pituswan.
"The raw stock of bamboo in the region is valued at Rs 5000 crore or about one billion US Dollars. Even with a modest range of two-field value in addition to the stock through suitable methodologies, an annual turnover of approximately Rs10,000 crores or 2 billion US Dollars could easily be generated in the region," he said.
On climate change, the chief minister said, "The North-East, which is regarded as the wettest place on earth, is facing a drought-like situation this year. In such a backdrop, more than 10,000 hectares of land have been converted by people from Jhum the primitive tribal system of slash and burn to bamboo cultivation in Nagaland."
Nagaland has a powerful delegation, making a strong case of success for the world to take note. Assam and other northeastern states haven't tried to cash in on the opportunities.
"I think the world will like to hear and know from Nagaland more on the bamboo as they have been successful in bamboo cultivation," said Pituswan.
Bamboo, the strongest tool to fight climate change but still relatively unknown to the western world, is being promoted as a "glimpse of hope" against the losing battle of green gas effect because of carbon dioxide emission by the developed and developing countries.
"A week from now in New York, world leaders are meeting to discuss climate change under the aegis of United Nations. This congress will hopefully turn the attention towards the miracle plant, bamboo, which can play a crucial role in countering climate change. Unfortunately, the West doesn't know much but India has taken the lead with the formation of the National Bamboo Mission (NBM)," added Pituswan.
India has emerged as a world leader in bamboo since it is one of the major producers. However, it lacks the technology and entrepreneurship in turning it into a suitable development for alternative product, a field where the Chinese have made monumental progress.
However, the emergence of Kamesh Salam of India as the World Bamboo Organistaion president has put the spotlight on India, particularly the North-East, which is home to almost 70 per cent of India's bamboo.
Experts from all over the world have converged in the Thai capital to find out ways to make bamboo more usable as well as removing the legal hurdles to use it more as an agricultural product than a forest product.
The WBC is expected to adopt September 18 as World Bamboo Day through an unanimous resolution which has been backed by the NBM.
UWAHATI: Nagaland has taken the lead in the fight against climate change through bamboo at the VIIIth World Bamboo Congress (WBC) that began in
Bangkok on Wednesday.
Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio shared the podium with Asean secretary-general asserting that his state had made significant progress and was helping in the global process of reversal of climate change. The event was inaugurated by Asean secretary-general Surin Pituswan.
"The raw stock of bamboo in the region is valued at Rs 5000 crore or about one billion US Dollars. Even with a modest range of two-field value in addition to the stock through suitable methodologies, an annual turnover of approximately Rs10,000 crores or 2 billion US Dollars could easily be generated in the region," he said.
On climate change, the chief minister said, "The North-East, which is regarded as the wettest place on earth, is facing a drought-like situation this year. In such a backdrop, more than 10,000 hectares of land have been converted by people from Jhum the primitive tribal system of slash and burn to bamboo cultivation in Nagaland."
Nagaland has a powerful delegation, making a strong case of success for the world to take note. Assam and other northeastern states haven't tried to cash in on the opportunities.
"I think the world will like to hear and know from Nagaland more on the bamboo as they have been successful in bamboo cultivation," said Pituswan.
Bamboo, the strongest tool to fight climate change but still relatively unknown to the western world, is being promoted as a "glimpse of hope" against the losing battle of green gas effect because of carbon dioxide emission by the developed and developing countries.
"A week from now in New York, world leaders are meeting to discuss climate change under the aegis of United Nations. This congress will hopefully turn the attention towards the miracle plant, bamboo, which can play a crucial role in countering climate change. Unfortunately, the West doesn't know much but India has taken the lead with the formation of the National Bamboo Mission (NBM)," added Pituswan.
India has emerged as a world leader in bamboo since it is one of the major producers. However, it lacks the technology and entrepreneurship in turning it into a suitable development for alternative product, a field where the Chinese have made monumental progress.
However, the emergence of Kamesh Salam of India as the World Bamboo Organistaion president has put the spotlight on India, particularly the North-East, which is home to almost 70 per cent of India's bamboo.
Experts from all over the world have converged in the Thai capital to find out ways to make bamboo more usable as well as removing the legal hurdles to use it more as an agricultural product than a forest product.
The WBC is expected to adopt September 18 as World Bamboo Day through an unanimous resolution which has been backed by the NBM.
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