Kohima, July 12 (MExN): The Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission (NSRLM) has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Industree Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Bengaluru, to incorporate 30,000 smallholder women farmers into the bamboo value chain, thereby supporting women-led businesses in the state.
This partnership is part of the Bamboo Sub-Sector Initiative within the framework of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) of the Union Ministry of Rural Development, which seeks to empower one million rural women nationwide through bamboo farming and enhanced market connections over the next four to five years.
As part of the agreement, Industree Foundation will act as the technical and knowledge partner for NSRLM, focusing on promoting bamboo cultivation on fallow and underused land, enhancing value chains, and establishing collective enterprises led by women.
The MoU was signed by Moa Sangtam, Mission Director and Joint Secretary of Rural Development, in the presence of Additional Mission Director Theose Thongtsar, Chief Operating Officer M Rollan Lotha, State Programme Manager (Farm) Dr Sokishumo Kithan, Industree Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer Neju George Abraham, and Senior Manager (Project Operations) Remya Devan.
Abraham remarked on the partnership, emphasizing that bamboo is an integral part of Nagaland’s culture and daily life and that the region’s diverse bamboo species hold considerable commercial prospects.
The collaboration aims to develop certified bamboo plantations, facilitate carbon credit accreditation, create processing units, innovate new bamboo products, and link producers with lucrative domestic and international markets.
Industree Foundation has been assisting smallholder farmers, primarily women, in cultivating bamboo on degraded and underutilized lands, helping them achieve sustainable incomes while enhancing climate resilience.
The organization noted that bamboo farming starts generating a consistent income from the fourth year and can continue producing for over 40 years. Furthermore, the foundation adopts a seed-to-market strategy to create traceable supply chains for both national and global markets.
Industree has previously collaborated with State Rural Livelihood Missions in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Telangana, and Tripura to foster bamboo-based livelihoods among female farmers.
Additionally, the foundation has achieved India’s first Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Forest Management certification for 6,671 women bamboo farmers in Karnataka and Maharashtra, which opens doors to certified global markets for bamboo products.
