Madhya Pradesh’s bamboo forests, once among the richest in central India, are shrinking at an alarming pace, prompting the State’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) VK Ambade to order an unprecedented revival plan.
Concerned by both declining productivity and the disappearance of bamboo from several forest divisions, Ambade has directed officials to draft a dedicated working plan and prepare 1.25 crore bamboo saplings for large-scale regeneration across the State.
Speaking to The Pioneer, Ambade said bamboo is far more than a commercial crop; it is an ecological architect central to the health of forest ecosystems. “Bamboo thickets provide refuge, nesting spaces and survival support to birds, insects and a variety of wildlife. When bamboo declines, entire micro-ecosystems collapse with it,” he noted. Yet, he added, maintenance of bamboo plantations and restoration of degraded bamboo forests have received “disturbingly little attention” in recent years.
According to forest department data, bamboo forests now survive only in 30 of Madhya Pradesh’s 63 forest divisions. Over the past 15 years, bamboo has vanished entirely from eight divisions, including South Panna, South Sagar, Dindori, Guna, Ashoknagar and Khargone—an ecological setback with long-term consequences for wildlife corridors and soil stability.
Ambade has expressed dissatisfaction with the State’s Bamboo Mission, acknowledging that despite crores of rupees spent, farmers have been left without viable markets. “Plantation has increased, but farmers are simply unable to sell their produce. A mission cannot succeed if the final link—the market—is missing,” he said. The PCCF has instructed divisional forest officers (DFOs) to organise workshops in rural areas, encourage bamboo cultivation and, crucially, ensure that farmers receive market linkages.
Field reports reveal a troubling pattern: thousands of farmers were lured into bamboo cultivation by dubious companies selling low-quality saplings and unrealistic promises of profit. In Harda, Dewas and Sidhi, bamboo growers now find themselves stranded with fully mature crops and no buyers. One Harda farmer cultivating bamboo on four acres said he has waited more than six months to sell his produce. “The Bamboo Mission has become a curse for us. We have nowhere to go,” he said.
Ambade has proposed new budget sub-heads for bamboo restoration and urged officials to consult divisions that have achieved successful regeneration. “We cannot afford to lose bamboo forests,” he said. “Restoration is not an option—it is an ecological necessity,” he added.
With bamboo productivity falling year after year and natural bamboo habitats shrinking rapidly, the Forest Department faces a race against time.
Ambade’s revival plan marks the first coordinated attempt in years to reverse the decline—and may determine whether Madhya Pradesh can reclaim its vanishing bamboo landscapes before it is too late.
According to forest department data, bamboo forests now survive only in 30 of Madhya Pradesh’s 63 forest divisions