BambusaTulda: SeSTA’s Climate Sustainable Livelihood Model Leveraging Smart Agriculture in NE India
BambusaTulda: SeSTA’s Climate Sustainable Livelihood Model Leveraging Smart Agriculture in NE India
Authors : Asmita Sethi, Kalyani Kholia and Shankar Keshav Prasad
Bamboo is a traditional household item in the north-eastern part of India (which accounts
for 67% of the country’s bamboo resource ). It is estimated that there are ~20 lakh
traditional artisans in India that rely on bamboo harvesting, processing, and selling (along
with handcrafted bamboo products) to support their livelihood. It is also one of the fastest
growing plants — up to 1.2 metres per day — with its roots having properties that reduce
soil erosion by 75% and generate exponentially more amounts of oxygen than comparable
varieties of trees; it offers protection from ultraviolet rays by lowering the intensity of light
and plays an active role in combating toxicity of the soil and air. It grows in the temperature
range of 18 – 38°C, with annual rainfall between 1200 – 4000 mm. With over 1000 different
species and 91 genera, 64% of the naturally occurring bamboo varieties are found in South
East Asia, out of which 41 species are endemic to the north-eastern region of India.
Climate change refers to signifi cant changes in global temperature, precipitation, and wind
patterns over a large period. It occurs due to man–made activities like burning fossil fuels,
deforestation, excessive cultivation, etc., which have a ripple effect on the environment. Today,
climate change is one of the most challenging battles the world is fi ghting. Climate change has
severe effects on not just human life but wildlife and agriculture as well. This is particularly an
unpleasant situation for a country like ours because agriculture in India is a major contributor
to the growth of our economy.
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