The Foundation for MSME Clusters (FMC) recently held its international conference on “Just Transition to Net Zero – Role of Bamboo in the SAARC Region” at Deventure Sarovar Portico, Kapas Hera, New Delhi. The event aimed to promote bamboo as a sustainable development tool across SAARC countries and brought together policymakers, industry leaders, financial institutions, and civil society representatives to engage in productive discussions.
The conference was inaugurated by Pasha Patel, Chairman of the Price Commission in Maharashtra, who served as the Chief Guest. Other notable figures included Ajay Shankar, Chairman of the Foundation for MSME Clusters and Former Secretary to the Government of India, and Rinzi Pem, Assistant Director at the SAARC Development Fund. Their contributions helped set the stage for valuable dialogues throughout the event.
In his opening remarks, Pasha Patel highlighted the environmental potential of bamboo as a sustainable resource. He referenced a study that revealed government-owned thermal power generation units in India release 590,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per day, suggesting bamboo could replace coal as a cleaner alternative for power generation.
Ajay Shankar shared his long-term vision for integrating bamboo into the MSME ecosystem, stressing that while developed nations have limited room for change due to their carbon-intensive history, South Asian countries have the opportunity to adopt more sustainable practices.
Rinzi Pem focused on the importance of collaborative efforts within SAARC countries to leverage bamboo in achieving net-zero targets, emphasizing the potential for regional cooperation.
The conference was part of the “Promoting Integrated Bamboo-Based Enterprise Development among SAARC Countries” project, which has been supported by the SAARC Development Fund since 2017. The project involves partners across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal, including organizations like Women’s Economic Empowerment Rural Development Program (Afghanistan), BRIF (Bangladesh), Tarayana (Bhutan), FMC (India), and ABARI (Nepal). During the event, project partners shared case studies from Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh, highlighting both the challenges and successes in bamboo enterprise development.
Three panel discussions were key highlights of the conference. The first, moderated by senior journalist Naghma Sahar, focused on the integration of bamboo in industry. Speakers like Sanjeev Karpe (Director, KONBAC), Anupam Badola (Deputy CSO, Dalmia Cement), Rajeev Pratap Singh (AGM, Rashmi Group), and Sharda Pratap Singh (Subject Matter Expert, Hindalco Industries) shared their experiences on incorporating bamboo into industrial applications.
The second panel, moderated by Mehraj Dube, examined innovative financing models for bamboo enterprises. Panelists included Dr. R.K. Singh (CGM, SIDBI), Ritesh Sinha (Zonal Head, HDFC CSR), Sanjay Sharma (Director, SPMN), and Dr. Ajithsen Selvadhas (Microcredit and Enterprise Development Expert), who discussed ways to finance the growth of the bamboo sector.
The final panel, moderated by Krunal Negandhi (Director, Jans Bamboo Products Pvt. Ltd.), explored the role of civil society and policy frameworks in bamboo development. Key experts like Dr. Prabhat Kumar (Mission Director, National Bamboo Mission), Dr. Ajay Thakur (Scientist, FRI), Neju George (CEO, Industries), and Anuj Srivastava (Lead-Strategic Partnership, HCL Foundation) provided insights into leveraging grassroots involvement and effective policy frameworks for bamboo growth.
The conference served as a platform for CSR leaders, researchers, buyers, and artisans to collaborate on strategies for achieving net-zero goals through bamboo-based solutions. It underscored the importance of cross-sector partnerships in unlocking bamboo’s potential for sustainable development within the SAARC region.
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