Maharashtra Agricultural Value Commission chairman Pasha Patel on Friday said large-scale bamboo plantation can help fight climate change and suggested farmers in the state to take up its cultivation.
Addressing a press conference in Latur, he said earlier this month, a 20-member task force was set up under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to promote bamboo cultivation in the state.
Patel, who is also a member of the task force, said bamboo, the fastest-growing plant on earth, can significantly contribute in climate change mitigation, given its high carbon sequestration capacity.
Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. It is a method of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with the goal of reducing global climate change.
"Some districts of Marathwada and Vidarbha face double woes of drought and unseasonal rains. Bamboo is an eco-friendly crop as it requires less water and absorbs more carbon. If bamboo is planted, then besides helping in fighting climate change crisis, it can be a source of livelihood for farmers," said Patel.
He said the first priority of the task force is to complete bamboo plantation on 10 lakh hectares in the next five years.
The Centre has approved the use of bamboo as 7 per cent biomass in power-generating thermal plants in the country. The Government of India will provide a fund of Rs 1,000 crore for bamboo research, he added.
'Rail Roko' by farmers in Latur
Meanwhile, A group of farmers attempted to stage a 'rail roko' in Maharashtra's Latur district to protest the arrest of their leader in Buldhana on Friday, police said.
The police detained some of the protesting farmers who gathered at Harangul railway station on the outskirts of the city, an official said.
Ravindra Tupkar, the leader of a farmers' organisation, was arrested in Buldhana, following which a group of farmers staged an agitation in Latur, he said.
Protestors also demanded that the government declare a drought, ensure the distribution of crop insurance and sanction the Rs 9,000 price for soybean crops, among other demands.
