The Bamboo Processing Center in Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality has begun production, aiming to boost locals' income and create sustainable livelihoods by tapping into the underutilized natural resource.
As part of a broader campaign to promote bamboo products, the municipality has rolled out plans to manufacture and market a wide range of household, decorative, and furniture items made from bamboo. The initiative has sparked growing enthusiasm among local entrepreneurs.
Earlier this year, from February 27 to March 1, the municipality hosted the “First National Bamboo Conference” in Diktel Bazar, attracting over 700 participants, including bamboo entrepreneurs, researchers, and stakeholders from across Nepal.
A key outcome of the conference was the adoption of a 35-point “Khotang Declaration,” which included a commitment to establish a Bamboo Museum in Diktel and position Khotang district as the “Bamboo Capital” of Nepal. The declaration also proposed marking “Fagun 15” as National Bamboo Awareness Day and hosting a national bamboo conference every three years.
In the wake of the conference, the municipality established the processing center in Ward No. 6, Nerpa, and launched hands-on training programs to foster local entrepreneurship and skill development.
Speaking to state-owned RSS news agency, Mayor Tirtha Raj Bhattarai said local entrepreneurs have already begun receiving orders from across Nepal and even the United States. “The municipality purchases all items produced by trainees directly from the production site, so they don’t have to worry about marketing or distribution,” he said.
To train residents in bamboo craftsmanship, the municipality enlisted the expertise of Tanka Bahadur Magar from Morang and Prabhat Shakya from India. Two training phases have been completed in the current fiscal year, focusing on the production of bamboo furniture, home décor, and utility items.
According to Shanta Acharya, the municipality’s Enterprise Development Facilitator, the first training program—a three-month course starting December 13, 2024—was conducted at a cost of Rs 900,000 and trained 30 participants. A second, refresher training began on April 3, with 15 participants, at a cost of Rs 1.2 million. Each trainer at the Nerpa center received a monthly allowance of Rs 75,000, funded by the Changunarayan Foundation, a Netherlands-supported organization that also supplied bamboo-processing equipment such as slicing machines. Additionally, each trainee received a daily allowance of Rs 500 for meals and refreshments.
One of the trainees, Narayan Prasad Rijal of Nerpa, shared his aspirations: “We’ve learned how to make everything from decorative pieces to household furniture. This training has motivated me to turn this into a full-time business. I believe bamboo has great potential and can lead us toward self-reliance.”
The initiative has also raised hopes among other residents, many of whom are seeing for the first time how bamboo—once left unused—can be transformed into a reliable source of income and employment.
In a push to lead by example, the municipality has furnished its own offices—including those of the mayor, deputy mayor, and department heads—with locally made bamboo furniture. In a symbolic gesture, it also plans to gift custom bamboo chairs and tables to six of the nation’s top officials: the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Chairperson of the National Assembly.
The move is part of a broader policy initiative to promote the use of locally sourced, sustainable materials in both public and private sectors—blending tradition with innovation to build a more self-reliant and environmentally responsible local economy.
RSS
