The Hornbill Bamboo Carnival 2025 opened on Saturday at the Nagaland Bamboo Resource Centre, Sovima, with the State announcing plans to set up a Bamboo Research & Training Centre to strengthen Nagaland’s fast-growing bamboo economy.
The three-day event, organised by the Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency (NBDA), marks two decades of the State’s bamboo policy and showcases bamboo-based innovations, enterprises, and craft traditions.
Speaking at the inaugural programme, NBDA Chairman Nuzota Swuro said integrating the Bamboo Carnival into the Hornbill Festival reflects the Government’s long-term vision to position bamboo as ”Green Gold” for Nagaland. He noted that since the adoption of the Nagaland Bamboo Policy in 2004 and the creation of NBDA in 2005, the State has expanded bamboo plantations to 45,621 hectares, distributed 24 lakh saplings, and supported 1,506 hectares of block plantations under the National Bamboo Mission.
Swuro highlighted NBDA’s work in establishing market infrastructure, including Rural Bamboo Haats, Bamboo Bazaars, and community-level amenities, as well as promoting production units for charcoal briquettes, agarbatti sticks, bamboo strips, venetian blinds and structural treatments. He added that the Agency has trained farmers, entrepreneurs, and artisans and taken part in national and international trade fairs to build wider market linkages.
Announcing the plan for a Bamboo Research & Training Centre, Swuro said the new initiative aims to boost scientific research, design innovation, and capacity-building for the State’s bamboo sector. “The Hornbill Bamboo Carnival is an opportunity to discover bamboo’s potential in crafts, construction, and creativity,” he said, urging artisans and entrepreneurs to collaborate and explore new value-addition opportunities.
A coffee table book titled Celebrating 20 Years of Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency: Fostering a Sustainable Future was also released during the ceremony, documenting the Agency’s two-decade journey in plantation development, skill building, enterprise formation, and innovation.
The carnival, which runs till December 9 from 2 pm to 9 pm daily, features exhibition stalls, bamboo craft displays, and live demonstrations by artisans and entrepreneurs.
