Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s bamboo sector achieved a significant milestone as a bamboo plantation in Mayurbhanj district received the prestigious Pramaan certificate under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS), marking a major step towards sustainable bamboo cultivation and market expansion.Union minister for environment, forest and climate change Bhupender Yadav presented the certificate at a ceremony in New Delhi on Tuesday. Gobinda Mahapatra, a bamboo farmer from Laxmiposi village in Gobardhansul, Mayurbhanj, and Karthick V, mission director of Odisha Bamboo Development Agency (OBDA), received the certification jointly. The recognition highlights the growing role of Odisha’s bamboo farmers in adopting sustainable and globally accepted cultivation practices.The certification has been awarded under the Trees Outside Forests Management and Chain of Custody (TOFM-CoC) framework. It covers 14.03 hectares of bamboo plantations spread across four plots in Gobardhansul and Ranibhol villages. The certified species include Bambusa vulgaris, Bambusa nutans and Dendrocalamus strictus, which are widely used in the construction and furniture industries.The plantation was audited by a National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB)-accredited certification agency, ensuring compliance with sustainability and traceability standards.Officials said the certification is expected to strengthen Odisha’s farm-grown bamboo value chain by assuring buyers that the bamboo has been sourced legally and sustainably. The recognition is likely to improve market credibility and create new opportunities in premium domestic and export markets for bamboo growers.The initiative was funded, coordinated and facilitated by the OBDA through Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal. The achievement reflects OBDA’s ongoing efforts to promote sustainable bamboo farming, enhance farmer incomes and position Odisha as an emerging leader in India’s bamboo sector.
