Bamboo’s potential for sustainable development was showcased in an international conference on “Just Transition to Net Zero – Role of Bamboo in the SAARC Region” held here. The conference underscored the urgency of cross-sectoral partnerships to unlock the full potential of bamboo for sustainable development in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region.

At the event that was held on Tuesday, Pasha Patel, Chairman, State Agricultural Price Commission, Maharashtra, and Chairman, Executive Committee, Chief Minister’s Task Force for Environment and Sustainable Development shared insights into the potential of bamboo as a sustainable resource. He highlighted the transformative impact of bamboo in the SAARC region for a greener future. Citing a study, Patel said all government thermal power generation units in the country release 5,90,000 MT of carbon per day into the atmosphere, he said, “Bamboo can be an alternative to coal as a fuel for power generation.”

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The conference, organised by the Foundation for MSME Clusters (FMC), served as a collaborative platform for CSR leaders, researchers, buyers, and artisans, aiming to create a regional strategy for achieving net zero goals through bamboo-based innovations. The event was also attended by Ajay Shankar, Chairman, Foundation for MSME Clusters, and Former Secretary to the Government of India and Ms. Rinzi Pem, Assistant Director, Social Window, SAARC Development Fund.

The conference was part of the project “Promoting Integrated Bamboo-Based Enterprise Development among SAARC Countries” supported by the SAARC Development Fund since 2017. The project, implemented across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal, engages partners such as Women’s Economic Empowerment Rural Development Program (Afghanistan), BRIF (Bangladesh), Tarayana (Bhutan), FMC (India), and ABARI (Nepal).

During the event, project partners from Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh presented case studies showcasing challenges, achievements, and innovations, offering valuable insights for advancing bamboo enterprise development.