Fri Sep 19 00:22:00 UTC 2025: ## India Bets on Bamboo: Northeast Conclave Aims for Sustainable Bio-Economy
**Guwahati, September 19, 2025** – A major push for a sustainable bamboo economy is underway in India’s Northeast, following a conclave in Guwahati on Thursday. Policymakers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators gathered to forge an agenda focused on integrating traditional knowledge with modern technology to create a globally competitive bamboo sector.
The Northeast, along with parts of West Bengal, accounts for over half of India’s bamboo resources, making it a critical region for the success of the National Bamboo Mission (NBM). Experts emphasized bamboo’s immense potential for green growth and livelihood missions in the area. The North East Cane and Bamboo Development Council is spearheading the effort, focusing on fostering partnerships, driving investments, and promoting innovations to establish bamboo as a cornerstone of India’s bio-economy.
The initiative seeks collaborative efforts between the government and private sectors to unlock investments, introduce advanced technologies, and build scalable market linkages.
Bamboo specialists also lauded the commissioning of India’s first bamboo-based bioethanol plant in Numaligarh, Assam, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggesting it will significantly boost the region’s bamboo economy. Investment in manufacturing units for engineered bamboo is also expected to grow, providing crucial bamboo-based alternatives to wood.
The conclave was supported by the North Eastern Council and the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, highlighting the government’s commitment to developing a robust and sustainable bamboo industry.
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