National Symposium on Bamboo Promotes Sustainable Livelihoods and Women’s Empowerment

New Delhi: Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM), in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Industree Foundation, hosted a ‘National Symposium on Bamboo’ to foster sustainable rural livelihoods, women’s empowerment, and climate resilience through bamboo farming.

The symposium marked the launch of India’s first comprehensive handbook on bamboo cultivation, available in seven regional languages. This initiative aims to equip smallholder women farmers with essential knowledge and practices to enhance their bamboo farming ventures. Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development, Charanjit Singh, and Acting Mission Director of USAID, Alexandria Huerta, also unveiled the UGAO app. This digital tool offers real-time data support for women smallholder farmers and helps build a traceable supply chain for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, thereby boosting the demand and export potential of bamboo products.

Speaking at the event, Additional Secretary Charanjit Singh highlighted the dual benefits of bamboo cultivation. “Bamboo cultivation offers a unique opportunity to improve livelihoods while contributing to environmental conservation. This program is a testament to our commitment to empowering rural women and promoting sustainable development, creating lasting economic opportunities while advancing climate mitigation and resilience,” he stated.

Acting Mission Director of USAID, Alexandria Huerta, emphasized USAID’s commitment to addressing gender-related inequalities and promoting locally led development. “I am happy that USAID’s POWER project is empowering women and has provided a successful, locally led, natural climate solution that is being scaled up through NRLM,” she remarked.

Joint Secretary of Rural Livelihoods, Ministry of Rural Development, Swati Sharma, reinforced the mission’s alignment with sustainable livelihoods and inclusive growth. “Empowering rural women through bamboo cultivation aligns with our mission of promoting sustainable livelihoods and inclusive growth. This program not only provides economic opportunities but also contributes to environmental sustainability. We believe that this initiative will serve as a model for rural development and women’s empowerment across the country,” she noted.

Neelam Chhiber, Co-founder of the Industree Foundation, underlined the transformative potential of bamboo cultivation for rural economies. “Bamboo cultivation has immense potential to transform rural economies and improve the lives of countless women. We have laid the foundation for 5,500 farmers from Karnataka and Maharashtra to have sustainable income from the fourth year and for a minimum of forty years. Through our combined efforts, we aim to provide these women with the skills, resources, and market access they need to succeed,” she stated.

The symposium showcased bamboo’s potential as a sustainable alternative in various industries, aiming to enhance livelihoods and significantly contribute to environmental conservation and sustainable development goals. The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana aims to empower 1 million rural women as ‘Lakhpati Didis’ (women earning over INR 100,000 annually) through bamboo farming, driving economic independence and sustainable development across India.

The Industree Foundation’s partnership with DAY-NRLM builds on the success of USAID’s Producer-Owned Women Enterprises (POWER) project. Implemented by Industree in three states, the project has aggregated over 10,000 women into 37 women-owned enterprises and farmer producer collectives. These women producers have fulfilled market orders worth over $3 million over the past five years. This successful model will now be scaled nationwide in collaboration with State Rural Livelihoods Missions, furthering the mission of sustainable development and women’s empowerment.