"Value Chain Management for Promotion of Bamboo-based Livelihood in Tripura, North-East India"

Book excerpt: Bamboo often known as the 'Green Gold' is one of the fastest and highest yielding renewable natural resources. It has been found abundantly in all over the State of Northeast region of India. Since time immemorial, bamboo has been intertwined with socio-cultural and economic life of the tribal and rural poor. Its value is being rediscovered as important natural resources for poverty reduction and environment protection. The reduction of chronic poverty, to improve the socio-economic conditions of the rural poor and tribal in Northeastern states of India is a daunting task through local economic development programs. In Asia, bamboos take the character of "poor man's timber" since for many people, bamboo growing, harvesting and processing are essentially subsistence activities. It is a fundamental part of people's overall livelihood strategies.1