A unique scientific exercise serving the combined national objectives of reducing desertification and providing livelihood and multi-disciplinary rural industry support has been initiated by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). The project named “Bamboo Oasis on Lands in Drought” (BOLD) is the first of its kind exercise in India which was launched todayfrom the tribal village NichlaMandwa in Udaipur, Rajasthan.

5000 saplings of special bamboo species – BambusaTulda and BambusaPolymorpha specially brought from Assam – have been planted over 25 bigha (16 acres approx) of vacant arid Gram Panchayat land. KVIC has thus created a world record of planting the highest number of bamboo saplings on a single day at one location.

Project BOLD, which seeks to create bamboo-based green patches in arid and semi-arid land zones, is aligned with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s call for reducing land degradation and preventing desertification in the country. The initiative has been launched as part of KVIC’s “Khadi Bamboo Festival” to celebrate 75 years of independence “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”. KVIC is set to replicate the Project at Village Dholera in Ahmedabad district in Gujarat and Leh-Ladakh region by August this year. Total 15,000 bamboo saplings will be planted before August 21.

KVIC Chairman Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena said the green patches of bamboo on these 3 places will help in reducing the land degradation percentage of the country, while on the other hand, they will be havens of sustainable development and food security

Member of Parliament Shri Arjun Lal Meena said the bamboo plantation program in Udaipur will boost self-employment in the region. He said such projects will benefit a large number of women and unemployed youths in the region by connecting them to skill development programs.

KVIC has judiciously chosen bamboo for developing green patches. Bamboos grow very fast and in about three years’ time, they could be harvested.Bamboos are also known for conserving water and reducing evaporation of water from the land surface, which is an important feature in arid and drought-prone regions.

MJPS