Why in News?

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Rural Development & Panchayati inaugurated by virtual mode 22 bamboo clusters in 9 States (Gujarat, MP, Maharashtra, Odisha, Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Karnataka). National Bamboo Mission and Clusters are aims at sustainable agriculture practice for farmers.

About National Bamboo Mission and Clusters

• National Bamboo Mission (NBM) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
• The Mission will ensure development of the bamboo sector by addressing complete value chain and establishing effective linkage of producers [farmers] with industry.
• Increase the area under bamboo plantation in non forest Government and private.
• Support in improved post-harvest management through establishment of innovative primary processing units near the source of production.
• Reducing the dependency on import of bamboo and bamboo products by improved domestic productivity and suitability of domestic raw material for industry.
• Establishment of innovative preservation technologies with R&D.
• Besides the mission helps  to upgrade skills of traditional bamboo craftsmen as per requirement of contemporary markets.
• Promotion of Environment Friendly product that helps to contribute towards resilience to climate change.
• It is proposed to bring about one lakh hectares under plantation, about one lakh farmers will directly benefit in terms of plantation under Bamboo Mission extended.
• Bamboo Mission extended has a total cost of Rs. 1,290 crore, the Centre’s share would be Rs. 950 crore.

Bamboo policies

• Bamboo ecosystem has been energised with 23 States, including all the 8 States of North East.
• Import policy has been modified to ensure progress of the bamboo industry in the country.
• Indian Forest Act 1927 was amended in the year 2017 to remove bamboo for the category of trees, as a result now anyone can undertake cultivation and business in bamboo and its products.

Cultivation of Bamboo

• Usually bamboo planting is done in the rainy season.
• The gestation period in bamboo planting is 5 years and inter cropping is possible.
• Most bamboo species are native to warm and moist tropical and to warm temperate climates.
• It is the fastest growing canopy, releasing 35 per cent more oxygen than trees.
• World model
  • Headquarters of International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR) is located in China.
  • multilateral development organisation which promotes environmentally sustainable development using bamboo and rattan.

Source : PIB

Topic 

Prelims : About Bamboo Mission,

GS III : Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.

Current Affairs Compilation : 9 September 2020