Bamboo Entrepreneurship - Opportunities for Rural Employment

Bamboo is an important natural resource in the socio-economic, cultural, ecological and functional context with 1500 well documented uses. Having high strength, elasticity and wear resisting characteristics, it grows rapidly and matures in a short period (3-5 years) with high yield, easy to manage, strong in regeneration, lasts for long time and sprouts new shoots after yearly harvests. It is versatile, low cost, environment-enhancing resource having potential to improve livelihood security both rural and urban areas. Apart from its traditional uses, Bamboo can substitute not only wood, but also other high-priced materials in structural and product applications scientific and engineering innovations. Bamboo sector has vast potential for generating income and employment, especially in the rural areas. The paper presents an account of potential and opportunities for harnessing bamboo based technologies in employment and income generation particularly in rural areas.