1

LLLLLocationocationocationocationocation Tamenglong, Tamenglong district,Manipur state, India

SuitabilitySuitabilitySuitabilitySuitabilitySuitability Community organizations, Self-help groups

BenefitsBenefitsBenefitsBenefitsBenefits Generates cash income – Gen-der neutral – Preserved bamboopole

LLLLLevelevelevelevelevel Small-scale enterpriseCapacityCapacityCapacityCapacityCapacity 12,000 poles per yearKKKKKeywordseywordseywordseywordseywords Bamboo – Preservation – Boric

acid – Borax

IntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroduction

Tamenglong district is located in the west ofManipur state at an altitude of 1,290 m above sealevel and covers a total area of 4,391 sq. km. Thepopulation of Tamenglong in the 2001 census was111,493, predominantly the Zeliangrong Nagatribes and a number of sub-tribes. Population den-sity is very low at 22.6 people per square km (com-pared to 273 average over the whole of India) andis distributed relatively evenly over the district. Asubstantial number of them live in poverty, chieflybecause their main economic activity of slash-and-burn cultivation has become non-remunerative.Industrial development has passed Tamenglong by,largely because of the lack of infrastructure, andits remoteness and difficult terrain.

The total afforested land spreads over 3,884sq. km, with 1.5 billion standing bamboo culmsoccupying 563 sq. km (Melocanna baccifera is thepredominant species) and rattan contained inpatches over 1,033 sq. km. Bamboo is one of themajor natural resources in Tamenglong. It is highlyrenewable resource, allows annual harvesting andis a good source of timber. Bamboo is widely usedby the tribal communities for a variety of purposes.Despite this, however, bamboo is not looked uponas a material of value owing to its perishability:biological deterioration is a major deterrent to theuse of bamboo in longer duration applications.Preservative treatment of culms is therefore the pri-mary value-adding step.

The EnterpriseThe EnterpriseThe EnterpriseThe EnterpriseThe Enterprise

The forest stocks of Dendrocalamus hamiltoniiin Tamenglong underwent gregarious flowering in2003, creating a need for the optimum utilizationof the dying bamboo stocks and for the regenera-tion of the bamboo stock. One of the resultant ini-tiatives was a community-owned and managedenterprise that provides preservative treatment forbamboo culms. It is a step that makes bambootimber at par with wood timber for applicationssuch as construction.

The enterprise was set up by the TamenglongBamboo and Cane Centre (TAMBAC) – a Section25, community-oriented company set up by theCentre for Indian Bamboo Resources and Tech-nology (CIBART) – to provide treated bamboo tothe community. As such, profit is not the main

Bamboo Preservation TBamboo Preservation TBamboo Preservation TBamboo Preservation TBamboo Preservation Treatmentreatmentreatmentreatmentreatment(Boric acid-Borax Method)(Boric acid-Borax Method)(Boric acid-Borax Method)(Boric acid-Borax Method)(Boric acid-Borax Method)

Bamboo in preservation tank (the culm pieces acrossthe tank help keep the culms submerged)

2

interest in this case. However, the enterprise is ame-nable to being run as a commercial, profit-mak-ing unit.

There are several preservative treatment regimesdeveloped for bamboo poles. Among these, aprocess that employs boric acid and borax waschosen for the enterprise owing to the simplicity ofthe process and the low toxicity of the chemicalsused. The treated poles are fit for use for a varietyof purposes, including construction.

The treatment cycle is of 48 hours wherein 100poles of 11 feet length and 3-4½ inches diameterare treated. In a month, ten cycles are possible,making an annual output of 12,000 treated poles.

The PThe PThe PThe PThe Processrocessrocessrocessrocess

The process basically involves dipping bamboopoles in a water-borne preservative for severalhours. The preservative used – a mixture of boricacid and borax – is non-fixing type, that is, thepreservative is leachable. Mixing of boric acid andborax in a specific proportion results in the forma-tion of disodium octaborate, which is easily solu-ble in water. Boron salts, in concentrations of 5%to 10%, protect against fungi, borer insects andtermites. The process is recommended for bam-boo culms that would not be exposed to water orexcessive moisture.

BeneficiariesBeneficiariesBeneficiariesBeneficiariesBeneficiariesThe key beneficiaries of the enterprise are self-

help groups and micro-scale entrepreneurs whohave bamboo-based businesses. It would also ben-efit communities, as users of preserved bamboopoles for purposes such as house construction. As

the process is neither capital- nor labour-intensive,and does not require constant attention, the enter-prise is suitable for women.

KKKKKey Fey Fey Fey Fey Financial Datainancial Datainancial Datainancial Datainancial DataCost price per culm : INR 3.70Sale price per culm : INR 4.50NPV of the plantation : INR 68,860.00IRR : 118.40%Benefit-cost ratio : 1.31

The price cited above does not include the costof the bamboo pole, which is supplied by the cus-tomer. Land cost is taken as nil, as the enterprise isset up on community land.

Costs for the enterprise include fixed capital ofINR 46,125 – including a one-time cost of INR7,000 for erecting a shed, INR 35,100 for the treat-ment tanks (life time a tank is two years) and INR1,725 for the saws and drill) – and 6-year operat-ing costs of INR 296,000, which include costs oflabour and materials.

Annual returns from preservation treatment of12,000 poles are INR 54,000 – a total of INR324,000 over the six-year period. Break-even pointis reached with a return on INR 35,859, equiva-lent to annual treatment of 7,969 poles. No tax istaken into account, as the enterprise enjoys taxexemption in Tamenglong.

KKKKKey Benefitsey Benefitsey Benefitsey Benefitsey Benefits• A simple, yet important value-addition step

for bamboo.• The enterprise generates cash income.• Poverty alleviation.• Opportunity for women and the aged to

generate cash income.

KKKKKey Rey Rey Rey Rey Requirementsequirementsequirementsequirementsequirements• Availability of bamboo poles nearby the

treatment area, as the poles need to betreated before the culms start drying.

• Land for the enterprise being available free ofcost.

• Preservation treatment commanding a mini-mum charge of INR 4.50 per pole.

• Local demand for preserved bamboo poles.

The EnvironmentThe EnvironmentThe EnvironmentThe EnvironmentThe EnvironmentManipur, one of the eight states in North-East

India, covers a total geographical area of 22,327

Preservation treatment facility

3

sq. km. Of the total area, about nine-tenths con-stitute the hills which surrounds the remaining one-tenth valley. Manipur is bounded by the states ofNagaland on the north, Assam on the west andMizoram on the south. Along the east, it shares a352 km long international boundary with Myanmar.The state lies between 94º 31’ to 94º 78’ E and23º 83’ to 25º 68’ N and lies from 550 to 3,600m above sea level. It has mainly hilly terrain (92%),surrounding a saucer-shaped valley of 1,856 sq.km, called Imphal Valley. The area has monsoonrainfall with an average annual rainfall of 2,100mm and temperatures ranging from -1ºC to 38ºC.

The 2001 Census puts Manipur population at2.39 million, with a density of 107 people per sq.km and annual growth rate of 3%. Meitei, whichconstitutes around 57% of the total population ofthe state, is the major ethnic community. There arealtogether 29 ethnic tribal communities dominatedby Nagas and Kukis (about 30% of the popula-tion). The Meitei lives in the plains, while the Nagasand Kukis prefer the hills.

The forests of Manipur belong to five ecologi-cal types: tropical wet evergreen forests; tropicalmoist deciduous forests; subtropical broad-leavedhill forests; sub-tropical pine forests; and moun-tainous wet temperate forests. Teak, Pine, Oak,bamboo and rattan are among the key forest spe-cies. Most bamboo species found in north-easternIndia are present in Manipur state. Pure bamboobrakes constitute 3,268 sq. km area (18.6% of thetotal forest cover). More than 700 000 bambooculms are extracted every year in Manipur. It alsohas more than 13 species of rattan under threegenera. Both bamboo and rattan (cane) find multi-purpose economic uses.

Agriculture is the mainstay of the Manipur’seconomy. It engages 76% of the workers. The sizeof the cultivated area is, however, only 9.41% ofthe total geographical area of the State. Of thistotal cultivated area, 52% is confined to the valley.In the hills, jhum (slash-and-burn) cultivation iswidely practiced but the returns are uneconomicaland unsustainable.

A high rate of unemployment exists in Manipur,particularly among the educated youth. There aremore than 400,000 unemployed persons as perthe live register of the Employment Exchanges.Manipur has more than 650,000 people belowpoverty line.

The per capita net income of the State basedon an estimate at current prices is INR 11,370 for1999-2000 compared with the all-India average ofINR 16,047. The average annual growth rate of theState Domestic Product (SDP) is 10.52% in 1999-2000 as against 8.03% of the manufacturing sector.

Tamenglong district is located in the west ofManipur state at an altitude of 1,290 m above sealevel and covers a total area of 4,391 sq. km. Thetotal afforested land spreads over 3,884 sq. km,with 1.5 billion standing bamboo culms occupy-ing 563 sq. km (Melocanna baccifera is the pre-dominant species).

The Population density is very low at 22.6 peo-ple per square km (compared to 273 average overthe whole of India) and is distributed relativelyevenly over the district. There are 171 villages inthe district. Slightly more than one third of thesehave fewer than 200 people, one third have be-tween 200-499 people and slightly less than onethird have between 500-1999 people. There areonly two villages with more than 2,000 inhabit-ants. The female: male sex ratio is 0.923. Literacyis 67% among men and 50% among women.

Each Naga village is a “village republic” – anindependent democratic unit. The sense of com-munity and cooperation is very strong. Each vil-lage has a village authority. The village authority,established under the Village Authority Act, isequivalent to the village panchayat (council) else-where in India. It has administrative, development,judicial and defence functions and is empoweredto settle civil and criminal cases.

Land ownership in Tamenglong is mostly withimportant families in each individual village. Thesefamilies decide who uses the land and for what

4

purpose it is used, and collect a small fee from theusers in the form of a small quantity of produce(usually one or two tins of rice per year). Each year,the village authority decides the location forswidden cultivation. Land for terrace paddy, horti-culture and housing is negotiated between the in-habitants and the landowners, subject to approvalby the village authority. There are no controls onfarming or harvesting other than that agreed bythe village committees.

The road network is highly underdeveloped. TheImphal-Tamenglong road (state highway) and theTamenglong-Khongsang road (part of NationalHighway 53) are the only roads that are motorablethroughout the year. There are no railways andthe nearest airport is at Imphal, 153 km away.Only 48% of the villages have an electricity supplybut most do not receive it regularly. Currently, thereis only one working commercial bank in the districtwhich is in Tamenglong.

The office of the Deputy Commissioner is incharge of all government activities in Tamenglongdistrict as well as law and order and administration.

Bamboo PBamboo PBamboo PBamboo PBamboo Preservation Enterprisereservation Enterprisereservation Enterprisereservation Enterprisereservation Enterprise

Bamboo is an inalienable part of a Manipuri’slife, as it finds use in many ways and for manypurposes. House construction is one area where itfinds major use. Bamboo, with starch-rich culm,is very susceptible to biological degradation. Thisis a factor that curtails the value and widerapplication of bamboo, despite its strength andbeauty. Rural bamboo houses have a life of 3-5years, after which they have to be reconstructed.

While this has been an accepted norm in ruralareas, the easy perishability of bamboo needs tobe addressed to elevate the status of bamboo as astandard, modern structural material, at par withwood and good for longer-term applications.

Although there are several preservation methodsformulated, these are seldom used widely becauseof lack of know-how, non-demonstration of techno-economic advantages and absence of treatmentfacilities. The 2003 gregarious flowering of D.hamiltonii bamboo in the forest provided theimpetus needed to set up treatment facilities. Anenterprise catering basically to community needswas set up, as a model unit, by TAMBAC.

InputsInputsInputsInputsInputs

• Covered shed for treatment & drying• Preservation tank• Bamboo poles (D. hamiltonii) to be preserved• Boric acid• Borax• Water

PPPPProcess Detailsrocess Detailsrocess Detailsrocess Detailsrocess Details

1. The bamboo poles to be treated are cross-cutto 11 ft length.

2. Using a drill, small holes are drilled on theinternodal parts of the poles for better pre-servative penetration.

3. Tank for the preservation process is made bywelding together, end to end, four cut-off oil(petroleum) drums. Four such drums weldedtogether lengthwise would make a shallow tanklong enough to accommodate 11-ft long poles.

4. Boric acid and borax are mixed in 1:1.4 ratio,made into a solution with water and pouredinto the preservation tank.

5. Bamboo poles are placed inside the tank for48 hours. One tank will hold 30-40 poles ofdiameter 3-4 inches.

6. The treated poles are removed from the tankand kept in slanted for quick drying.

7. Preservative solution is recharged after fourcycles by adding water and the chemicals.

Developed and produced by:

The production of this catalogue has been supported by:

Centre for Indian BambooResource and Technology1st floor, 200 Jor BaghNew Delhi 110003, IndiaTel: 91-11-2460 4404/34Fax: 91-11-2464 8303E-mail: info@cibart.org

International Network for Bamboo and RattanNo. 8, East Avenue, Fu Tong Dong Da JieWang Jing, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100102People’s Republic of ChinaTel: 86-10-64706161Fax: 86-10-64702166E-mail: info@inbar.int

IFIFIFIFIFADADADADADINTERNATIONAL FUNDFOR AGRICULTURALDEVELOPMENT

5

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