0757-A1

Bamboo Resources as a Rural Livelihood Option in Madhya Pradesh, India

P.B. Gangopadhyay^[1]

Abstract

Bamboo is a very important forest product that is highly relevant as a livelihood option for forest-dependent people in India. This paper quantifies the resource and also makes an objective assessment of bamboo, its contribution towards poverty alleviation and generating subsistence income for the rural poor. Employment generation from bamboo growing and its processing makes a significant contribution to people's incomes. The wide gap that exists between the demand and supply of bamboo identifies the huge opportunity available for development of bamboo resources both on public and private land and consequential improvement in the economic condition of the bamboo-dependent people.

Introduction

Madhya Pradesh (MP) is the largest state of the country with 4,43,445 sq km geographical area and 1,54,506 sq km forest area. Forestry plays a very important role in economy of the state. Bamboo, which is an important forest produce, has high significance in socio economic life of rural MP. It is said to be poor man's timber and put to multifarious uses for various livelihood options. India holds the second place in the world with 125 species of bamboo belonging to 23 genera, next only to China (Tewari, 1994). Dendrocalamus strictus is the most important species in India. Bamboo area of the country is estimated as 8.96 million hectare and the total growing stock (green weight) is 80.428 million tons. Annual production of bamboo is estimated as 32,30,000 tons in the country. North Eastern states have 28% of the area and 66% of the growing stock. Madhya Pradesh has 20.3% of the area and 12% of the growing stock (Rai S N, 1998).

In Madhya Pradesh there are two main consumers of bamboo, namely, basod and nistari. Basods are the people belonging to community of bamboo craftsmen who are traditionally dependent on bamboo for their livelihood. The nistaris use bamboo for house repair and crop harvesting and other domestic uses. The Government of Madhya Pradesh has a policy to meet their demand for bamboo.

The present study has been undertaken in the state of Madhya Pradesh in selected districts. Assessment of bamboo resource, demand-supply position of bamboo, income supplement to the families from bamboo, and projection of the result for the whole state have been done.

Literature Review

Literature regarding the multifarious uses of bamboo have been reviewed which highlights the utility of bamboo for house construction, bamboo ply, agricultural implements, handicraft, irrigation, brooms, medicine, food, fuel, fodder, Paper & Pulp etc. Existing information regarding market potential of bamboo and its capacity for employment generation has also been studied. But no quantified information is available regarding the actual demand-supply gap and contribution of bamboo in the family income of various categories of consumers. On the resource front also there is no quantification regarding bamboo availability from non - forest land. This paper attempts to fill up this gap with respect to the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Methodology

Study Area

Madhya Pradesh is centrally located and 34.84% of the total area of the state is notified as forests(Anon, 1995).The state has a total population of 66.8. Million of which the rural population is 58.89 Million. There are 11.61 Million rural families of which 4.87 Million families live in and around forests In terms of per capita income and Human development index (0.349) Madhya Pradesh ranks 15^th in the country. 37.41% of the rural families live below poverty line, which is Rs. 15,000 annual income (HDR, 1998).

Selection of Sample districts

To study the bamboo resource and its socio economic parameters in the state sample districts have been chosen by following the criteria of stratification according to five years average annual production of bamboo and pre-dominance of basod families. The selected districts are as below:

There are 30,750 basod families in 41 districts. Farmers are entitled for nistar benefits in all the districts of the state.

Secondary Information

Bamboo, prior to nationalization (state trading monopoly), was harvested through the agency of contractors, leaseholders and nistaris. Post nationalization since 1973 only departmental working is done in bamboo forests. Bamboo is produced in two categories, commercial and industrial bamboo. Commercial bamboo is long and green and is used by basods, nistaris and panbarejas. Dry bamboo or green bamboo up to 2-meter length are called industrial bamboo and supplied to paper mills as raw material for paper pulp. The bamboo production figures for last 25 years show a variation from 24,554 ton to 1,93,771 ton for commercial bamboo, from 87,206 ton to 3,46,668 ton for industrial bamboo and from 1,13,167 ton to 4,00,621 ton for total bamboo. The ratio of commercial bamboo and industrial bamboo has shown an increasing trend from Rs 20.26 million in 1973-74 to Rs 407.60 million in 1995-96. Market rate of commercial bamboo in Balaghat depot over last 10 years period and all India market for last three years has shown increasing trend (Sankhwar, 1999). The supply rate to Orient Paper Mill (OPM, 2000)and NEPA Mills (NEPA, 2000)) of industrial bamboo has been observed to be lower than the all India market rates (Anon 1999). The average rate per ton of bamboo is computed as Rs. 6800 per ton.

MP Govt. in its nistar policy commits to supply 1500 bamboos to each basod family and 250 bamboos to each nistar family, subject to availability (Anon, 1990). Quantity of bamboo supplied annually during five-year period (1993-94 to 1997-98) to the basod families on an average was 7.38 million to nistari families 23.14 million, for panbareja families during the three years (from 1993-94 to 1995-96) was 0.22 million bamboos. The last 5 years average production of bamboo in the state is 2,25,218 ton of which 93,248 ton (46.6 million in number) is commercial bamboo and 131,970 ton is industrial bamboo.

India has 380 paper mills with installed capacity of 3.954 million tons but the capacity utilization is only 2.51 million tons. Bamboo pulping capacity in India is the highest in the world. But due to low availability bamboo is loosing its share in paper & pulp industry. MP has 17 paper & pulp industry with installed capacity of 0.26 million tons (Anon 1996). Bamboo requirement @ 2.6 tons per ton of paper, is 0.68 million tons annually. But production of industrial bamboo from forest is only 0.13 million tons. Paper mills are switching over to alternative raw materials and imported pulp.

Results of Study & Discussion

Survey of bamboo resource

• Bamboo resource was estimated earlier in 1960 according to which bamboo occurred in 29 districts over an area of 15,10,488 hectare with an annual yield of 1.07 million tons and per hectare productivity 2.84 tons (Datta and Tomar, 1964).

• Forest Survey of India carried out inventory of bamboo resources in various districts of Madhya Pradesh between early 1970's and late 1980's according to which 23,84,041 hectare bamboo area was found over 22 districts with an annual yield of 1.37 million tons and per hectare productivity 2.30 tons (Anon, 1980).

• The working plan documents of Madhya Pradesh show the presence of bamboo in 13,88,015 hectare of forest in 26 districts but the average production over the last 5 years is 2,25,218 tons from out of an area of 12,09,490 hectare. Thus the productivity per hectare comes to 0.75 tons.

• 1,78,526 hectare of bamboo area is degraded and hence not put in any felling series.

• Study indicates that bamboo resource in Madhya Pradesh in terms of area as well as growing stock volume has gone down substantially.

• The major reason of reduction in bamboo area is due to biotic interference, lack of protection against fire and grazing, gregarious flowering of bamboo and inclusion of very large bamboo area in wildlife sanctuaries and national parks and thus getting excluded from working plan.

Primary survey of bamboo resource on forest land has been carried out in this thesis by analyzing data from 8 production divisions and 293 bamboo coupes of the sample districts, regarding coupe area, bamboo area, estimated and actual yield of commercial and industrial bamboo.

• Per hectare production of bamboo is estimated as 1.57 ton while actual production is 1.62 ton,

• Estimated yield and actual yield in various divisions show significant variation among the various divisions. However, the variation of yield from year to year during the five years of the data period is not found to be significant. Ratio of bamboo area to the total coupe area is 69.65%.

Applying the average productivity, from this thesis, commercial bamboo and total bamboo production figures are computed as 89,871 ton and 208,568 ton respectively. This compares very well with the average actual production of last five years for commercial bamboo 93,248 ton and total bamboo 2,25,218 ton

Bamboo resource on non forest land

In the selected five districts, 13 villages, 2340 families were surveyed.

• Out of 2340 families 354 families have bamboo on their fields.

• Average number of culms per family works out to 73.56.

• At the state level, applying the result of sample districts, the growing stock has been calculated and annual yield on a four-year cycle has been worked out to be 67,314 ton.

• The bamboo production from non forest land works out to be around 30% of the production from forest land.

Primary survey of basod families

30,750 basod families are distributed in 41 districts. For basod survey 212 families from these 5 districts linked with 8 supply depots were selected randomly.

• On an average 197 bamboos in 1996 and 248 bamboos in 1997 were supplied to the basods which are 13.13% and 16.53% of the target of 1500 bamboos per family according to nistar policy.

• Basod families on an average demanded 908 bamboos per family as against the actual receipt of 248 bamboos.

• The average rate of bamboo was Rs.4.89* and after adding the transportation cost to their home the figure goes up to Rs. 5.89* per bamboo.

• The net income per bamboo on an average was Rs. 15.83.

• The average of total sale amount per family was Rs.5898 per year. 51.06% of the family income comes from bamboo and in case of some families it was as high as 100% while the lowest was 11.68%.

• The mode of sale or the market location did not have any impact on the ultimate sale price, since bamboo articles are household products mostly purchased by poor villagers.

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  *1 US $=50 Indian Rupees

• 37.61% of rural families of Madhya Pradesh are below poverty line. Among the basod families' surveyed 87.74% families are below poverty line. This indicates that basods are poorest of the poor among the rural population.

• If basods could be provided 908 bamboos per family as demanded by them or provided 1500 bamboo per family as per Nistar policy then 51.42% and 77.38% family would go above poverty line respectively.

• If 917 bamboos per family could be provided then all the basod families would come above poverty line of Rs.15000 per annum.

This shows the strength of bamboo as a contributing factor for poverty alleviation.

State level projection

Applying this sample district result to the total basod families of the respective stratum the total demand of bamboo works out to

• 9.55 million, at the rate of sample supply,

• 26.89 million at the rate of sample demand,

• 46.12 million, at the rate of 1500 bamboo, per family.

• The actual average supply of last 5 years is 7.38 million bamboos.

• The demand supply gap is 2.17 million, 19.51 million and 38.74 million bamboos, in the above three scenario. This speaks of the acute shortage of bamboo as compared to the demand.

• The contribution of bamboo to raise the family income of the basod families was computed as Rs.55.7 million Rs.402.1 million and Rs.682.2 million per annum in the corresponding three scenarios as mentioned above.

• Thus the study quantifies the contribution of bamboo for poverty alleviation of basod community.

Primary Survey for nistari families

Based on the stratification as mentioned above, study was carried out similarly in six districts for 154 families linked with 11 depots.

• The average quantity of bamboo supplied in 1996 and 1997 was 51 and 42 bamboos respectively, as against actual demand of 167 bamboos, per family. This is also very low as compared to the figure of 250 bamboos per family committed in the nistar policy.

• The demand analysis shows that less than 10% of the families are satisfied with 42 bamboos, which they have received.

• Nistaris got bamboo at the rate of Rs.3.62 per piece while the market rate of commercial bamboo was Rs.11. Thus an income supplement of Rs.7.38 per bamboo was provided to the families

• Family income of the nistaris on an average was found to be Rs.17, 132 per annum. 72% of the 154 families surveyed were found to be below poverty line of Rs.15,000 per year.

• If supply of bamboo could be increased to 167 bamboos, which was their demand and to 250 bamboos, which is the quantity as per nistar policy, the percentage of families who are living below poverty line will change from 72% to 69% and 66% respectively.

State level projection

Applying this sample district result to the total nistar families of the respective stratum the total demand of bamboo has been worked out.

• The quantity of bamboo needed to meet the demand of nistar according to sample supply, sample demand, and 250 bamboo per family are 217.3 million 834.3 million and 1219.3 million bamboo respectively. As against this the actual supply has been only 23.1 million for nistar. The demand-supply gap thus is very high.

• According to the above three supply situations the income supplement works out to Rs. 1928.4 million 2713.4 million and 6628.4 million respectively, while as per actual average supply of last five years (23.1 million bamboos) the income supplement is Rs. 170.8 million

This highlights the wide gap between demand and supply of commercial bamboo for nistar and also highlights quantified financial benefit that can reach nistaris by concessional supply of bamboo.

Findings & Conclusions

The study has compiled the availability of bamboo in the state from different sources.

• The total plantation of bamboo raised in Madhya Pradesh has been computed as 1,08,306 hectare consisting of plantations raised in the five year plans, by forest Development Corporation and under tree cooperative scheme.

• On the basis of the yield calculation on an average, one hectare of plantation will yield 2 ton bamboos. Thus the productivity from plantation area has been assessed as 54,153 ton per annum on a four-year cycle.

• The total production of bamboo is estimated as 3,46,685 ton, of which 2,25,218 ton is from government forest, 67,314 ton is from non forest land, and 54,153 ton is from plantation areas.

• On the basis of the average market rate calculated as Rs.6800 per ton the value of this bamboo production per year works out to Rs.2358.5 million

• Bamboo plantation is economically more viable than teak and of eucalyptus. Hence more areas should be planted with bamboo, to meet the demand supply gap.

Employment generation

• One hectare of bamboo plantation can produce 200 man days of employment and 900 man days in cottage industry with the raw material from this plantation (Lakshman, 1999).

• From the total area 108306 hectare plantation, 21.6 million man days equivalent to Rs. 1080 million wage earning has already been generated. If corresponding cottage industry can develop, these plantations can generate 97.2 million man days equal to Rs.4860 million wage earning in the cottage industry sector annually.

• Harvesting of bamboo from natural forests generate every year 2.25 million man days equal to Rs.112.5 million wage earning.

This amply proves the importance of bamboo not only as a produce to meet the demand of the consumers but also as a production process to provide employment opportunities to the impoverished rural poor.

Suggestions

1. Rehabilitation of degraded bamboo forests and flowered bamboo areas should be taken up on priority.

2. Bambusa vulgaris, Bambusa bambos that are known to be fast growing on better site conditions can be raised in the agro forestry and farm forestry sector.

3. Genetic improvement of existing bamboo resource should be taken up.

4. Afforestation of wasteland with bamboo should be taken up to augment bamboo supply along with increasing green cover.

5. Suitable incentive towards tax exemption, relaxation from land ceiling should be introduced to attract private investment for bamboo plantation.

6. Cottage industry should be encouraged and training in bamboo handicraft should be imparted to rural artisans.

7. Marketing support, to maximize benefit to the bamboo craftsmen, should be provided in the pattern of Kerala Bamboo Corporation, which takes care of marketing of manufactured articles.

8. Bamboo articles needed for sericulture could be reserved for supply through basod societies.

With these efforts bamboo is likely to play more important role in the life of rural population in general and bamboo dependent community in particular.

Bibliography

¨ Anon. 1980. Field Inventory Report of Various Districts of Madhya Pradesh, Forest Survey of India, Dehra Dun.

¨ Anon. 1990. Assessment of Forest produces supply in Nistar. Government of M.P. Research and Working Plan/89-90/91, Bhopal.

¨ Anon., 1995. Four decades of forestry. M.P. Forest Department. Chief Conservator of Forests Working Plan, Satpura Bhawan, Bhopal.

¨ Anon. 1996. IPPTA Convention Issue, Prepared by Joint Committee of Industry, 1996.

¨ Anon. 1999. Timber trade bulletin of ICFRE. March 95 to June 99.

¨ Datta, J. J. and Tomar, M.S. 1964. Bamboo forest of Madhya Pradesh. Bulletin no. 8, Government of Madhya Pradesh Forest Department.

· HDR, 1998 Madhya Pradesh Human Development Report. Government of Madhya Pradesh. Directorate of Institutional Finance. MP HDR, Bhopal

· Lakshmana, AC. 1990, A new approach to the management of bamboo stands, bamboo current research, proceedings of international bamboo workshop Nov., 1988 Cochin pp 128-132.)

· NEPA. 2000. 52^nd Annual report of NEPA Mills Ltd. Dt. 16^th May, 2000.

· OPM. 2000. Report of Chief raw material officers, orient paper mills to DFO. South Shahdol. Dt. 20-6-2000.

· Rai, S.N. and Chauhan, K.V.S. 1998. Distribution and growing stock of bamboos in India. "Indian Forester" volume 124 No. 2.

· Shankhwar, H.O. 1999. Report on bamboo rates in Balaghat market, 15.2.1999

· Tewari, D.N. 1994. A Monograph on Bamboo. International Book Distributors, Dehradun.