Bamboo plays an important role in the national economy, livelihood and has much employment potential in rural India, said the director of Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, RK Goel.
He was speaking at the inauguration of a two-day seminar on bamboo productivity in forest and non-forest areas organised at the Forest Research Institute by the National Bamboo Mission and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). Goel also stressed on the need for enhancing bamboo productivity from two metric tonnes/ hectare/year to 10 MT / year. The production of quality planting material for establishing large plantations of potential bamboo species is also important, he said.
Principal chief conservator of forests Dr RBS Rawat, additional secretary, Horticulture (GoI) DK Jain and FRI director Dr PP Bhojvaid also expressed their views on the occasion. The deliberations in this seminar were focused on bamboo productivity in forest, non-forest areas of the country and improvement of productivity. The speakers emphasised on the need to produce quality planting material, extension of the farmers friendly propagation technologies for producing sufficient planting stock, managing the plantations properly, use of the proper silvicultural practices, seasoning, treatment and other aspects to improve productivity, which will improve the financial status of poor farmers.
