From Craft to Industry: ‘Odisha Bamboo’ Policy Poised to Create New Livelihoods Statewide

Updated: December 03, 2025 00:46

Image Source : www.odishabamboo.org

The Odisha government is set to launch a dedicated bamboo policy and a new “Odisha Bamboo” brand to boost bamboo production, organised value chains, and climate-resilient livelihoods. Backed by global and national partners, the plan targets industrial parks, startup funding, and design-led products to create large-scale rural employment.

The Odisha government is preparing a comprehensive bamboo policy and ‘Odisha Bamboo’ branding initiative to transform its rich bamboo resources into a strategic economic and livelihood engine. Modelled partly on Maharashtra’s Bamboo Industry Policy 2025, the framework aims to formalise an otherwise unorganised sector and unlock domestic and export opportunities.

The Odisha Bamboo Development Agency (OBDA) has partnered with the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR) and Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) to identify suitable bamboo species, support farmers, and design a sustainable production ecosystem. The National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, will guide artisans to develop contemporary bamboo products for higher-value markets.

Plans include creating ‘Odisha Bamboo’ as a state-wide brand, setting up bamboo industrial parks in Mayurbhanj, Koraput, Keonjhar, Rayagada, and Sundargarh, and establishing an Odisha Institute of Bamboo Technology for specialised skilling. A proposed Bamboo Startup Fund with an initial ₹100 crore corpus will support bamboo-based enterprises in furniture, lifestyle products, textiles, construction materials, and green energy.

Officials note that while Odisha ranks fourth nationally for bamboo plants inside recorded forest areas, it is only tenth for bamboo outside forests, signalling major growth headroom through farm and community plantations. The new policy positions bamboo as both a climate-resilient resource and a driver of green, inclusive rural employment.

Key Highlights:

State drafting new bamboo policy inspired by Maharashtra’s Bamboo Industry Policy 2025.
Launch of ‘Odisha Bamboo’ brand to unify marketing and farmer–artisan support.
OBDA partners with INBAR, KFRI, and NID for species selection, research, and product design.
Proposed bamboo industrial parks in five districts to scale processing and manufacturing.
Plan for Odisha Institute of Bamboo Technology and a ₹100 crore Bamboo Startup Fund.
Odisha strong in forest bamboo stock but underutilised outside forests, offering major expansion potential.
Policy framed to boost livelihoods, climate resilience, and green economy growth in rural Odisha.

Sources: The New Indian Express, Odisha Bamboo Development Agency, National Bamboo Mission/OBDA notes, Grow Billion Trees/Odisha bamboo livelihood reports.

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