Ranchi, July 11: The Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS), Ranchi, in collaboration with NEEDS, on Friday inaugurated the five-day “Swashakt Bamboo Ecosystem Workshop & Innovation Expo”, bringing together policymakers, financial institutions, researchers, entrepreneurs, artisans and development organisations to chart a roadmap for strengthening Jharkhand’s bamboo sector.
Organised under the theme “Building a Cohesive Bamboo Ecosystem for Jharkhand,” the workshop aims to promote a sustainable and inclusive bamboo ecosystem by fostering collaboration among government departments, academia, financial institutions, development agencies and industry stakeholders.
The inaugural day, themed “Vision Setting & Ecosystem Convergence: Building a Cohesive Bamboo Ecosystem for Jharkhand,” focused on preparing a shared roadmap to unlock the sector’s potential through policy support, institutional collaboration, value chain development, innovation and stronger market linkages.
The inaugural session was attended by Dr. Anant Kumar, Head of the Programme of Rural Management at XISS; Murari M. Choudhury, Executive Director of NEEDS; faculty members of XISS; government officials; development practitioners; entrepreneurs; and representatives of partner organisations.
A key highlight of the event was a panel discussion titled “What Holds Back Jharkhand’s Bamboo Sector – Potential Convergence and Institutional Commitment,” which examined the challenges and opportunities facing the bamboo industry in the state.
The discussion featured Rajshree Singh, Assistant Manager, Grant Thornton; Anand Gothi, Deputy Director, MLKUVB; Aditya Malhotra, President, COC; S. R. Patnayak, Assistant General Manager, NABARD; and Dr. Niranjan Sahoo, Professor, Department of Rural Management, XISS.
The panellists stressed that stronger policy interventions, institutional convergence, improved access to finance, entrepreneurship promotion, market linkages and capacity building are essential to transform bamboo into a sustainable driver of rural livelihoods and economic development in Jharkhand.
The workshop also seeks to create a common platform for stakeholders to develop a shared vision for the bamboo sector and explore innovative solutions for expanding value chains, encouraging enterprise development and improving market access.
The five-day expo is expected to facilitate knowledge exchange, showcase bamboo-based innovations and strengthen partnerships among institutions working towards making bamboo a key contributor to Jharkhand’s rural economy and sustainable development.
