Four-day, 12 Residential Technology Clinic sessions for Bamboo Sector under the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performances (RAMP) Scheme was organised by Department of Industries and Commerce and Nagaland Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (NIDC).
The event was held at Nagaland Bamboo Resource Centre, Sovima, Chumoukedima, with technical support from the Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency (NBDA) and will conclude on February 27. In convergence with the Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission (NSRLM), Self-Help Group (SHG) members involved in the bamboo sector took part in the event.
The Technology Clinics concluded with 40 participants. Themed “Innovating with Advanced Bamboo Technology”, the clinic featured three sessions under the topics, Clinic 1: Bamboo Basic Course; Clinic 2: Bamboo Handicraft and Utility. Items Training; Clinic 3: Bamboo Furniture Training.
Dr. Tolto Metha, Team Member NBDA and resource person, conducted Clinic 1, where he highlighted the diversity and economic potential of bamboo. He noted that Nagaland was home to 46 of India’s 144 bamboo species, the highest among all the states.
He emphasized the versatility of bamboo across various applications, including construction, furniture, bioethanol, ornaments etc., underscoring its transition from being called as the “poor man’s timber” to “Green Gold” due to its immense economic value.
The course also explored the potential of bamboo as a substitute for plastic and the importance of developing disposable bamboo products as sustainable alternatives.
Following the session, participants were taken on a guided tour of the Nagaland Bamboo
Resource Centre, where they received demonstrations on bamboo processing technologies and machinery. Clinic 2 and 3 were led by Master Trainers Khrolo Naro and Rouvi
Chuzho. The sessions included hands-on training where participants worked with various bamboo species using advanced machinery available at the centre.
Temjenyanger Jamir, General Manager of NIDC, addressed the participants, encouraging them to leverage the opportunities provided by the RAMP scheme.
RAMP is a World Bank-supported scheme of the Government of India aimed at improving access to market, access to credit, capacity building of MSMEs, etc. The Technology Clinics under RAMP bring together leading experts and technocrats to equip entrepreneurs with the knowledge and technical skills required for upgrading their businesses.