Meghalaya State Investment Promotion Board organized a round-table Conference on Investment Strategy for Development of Bamboo Sector in Meghalaya' on 21st December 2022 at India International Centre, New Delhi.

Key discussions centered on pivotal strategies to enhance sustainability and quality assurance through certifications, particularly highlighting the Forest Stewardship Council (FSCs) certification. Recommendations spanned a spectrum of initiatives, including empowering Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), advocating for bamboo-centric tourism, fostering cooperative societies, investing in cutting-edge R&D across the bamboo value chain, and leveraging GPS-driven apps for community-involved bamboo cluster identification.

The conference also unveiled ambitious plans aimed at catalyzing the sector's growth. These initiatives encompassed the establishment of a dedicated Bamboo Special Zone to empower regional entrepreneurs, conducting detailed surveys and species-specific mapping, setting up Bamboo Technology Parks and primary processing centers, emphasizing top-notch packaging standards, promoting sustainable bamboo pulp utilization, seeking support from the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts, and formulating a comprehensive strategy for bamboo shoot exports. Furthermore, the emphasis on skill development centers across districts and community-focused awareness sessions emerged as pivotal aspects, along with collaborative efforts with the Forest Research Centre for Bamboo & Rattan to bolster entrepreneurial skills and capacity. The event concluded with the anticipation of an Industry Roundtable to gather industry perspectives and the subsequent creation of a strategy paper based on these recommendations for submission to the Meghalaya Government, marking a proactive step toward actionable initiatives in the bamboo sector.