Certification covering over 250 hectares in five villages expected to open up premium markets for community-grown bamboo
Shillong, Oct 26: Meghalaya has secured an international Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for natural bamboo forest management in five villages, marking a significant step towards sustainable forest management and improving livelihood opportunities for local communities.
The certification, issued through Preferred by Nature, covers more than 250 hectares of bamboo forests managed by smallholders. It recognises forest management practices that promote responsible use of natural resources while ensuring their long-term conservation.
The Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) and the Meghalaya Basin Management Authority (MBMA), through their Centre of Excellence for Natural Resource Management and Sustainable Livelihoods, led the initiative over the past two years.
According to the state government, the certification process involved extensive technical work and the development of methodologies that were subsequently accepted under the certification standards.
The initiative is expected to help participating communities access premium markets for certified bamboo, with some bamboo-based industries already expressing interest in procuring the material at higher prices.
Beyond market access, the certification aims to strengthen community capacity in forest management and promote the sustainable utilisation of bamboo, an important natural resource in Meghalaya.
The successful pilot has also laid the groundwork for expanding certification to several hundred villages across the state. Such an expansion could create new opportunities for community-based enterprises while encouraging the conservation of natural bamboo forests.
The initiative seeks to link forest conservation with economic benefits by enabling communities to derive greater value from bamboo without compromising the sustainability of the resource.
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