Bamboo nurseries functioning at KFRI Peechi and FRC Velupadam were established with the support of the National Bamboo Mission. The source of planting material is seeds, culm cuttings, and tissue culture. The stakeholders include State Bamboo Missions, Kerala Bamboo Corporation, Farmers, NGOs etc.
The Bamboo Bazar is established at FRC Velupadam for the promotion and development of infrastructure for the bamboo market. Bamboo Bazar is functioning as an outlet for innovative bamboo products that are generated in activities including training programmes and artisan clusters under the KFRI programmes.
Despite its many uses, bamboo is a reliable food source in many east Asian countries & the northeastern states of India, but not yet popular in our southern states. The unit serves as a training centre for those interested in bamboo shoot processing, value addition, and effective utilisation.
Bamboo Primary Processing Centre was established to revive the traditional bamboo sector by showcasing the benefits of mechanized primary processing of bamboo to artisans and farmers. Also focused on the value addition, improvement in efficiency and quality of production of articles.
The facility for bamboo waste in the primary processing unit is available at FRC Velupadam for managing waste generated from the Primary Processing Centre. The aim is to convert the bamboo waste into pellets and to explore the possibility of converting bamboo waste into compost.
The Bamboo tissue culture facility at the Biotechnology Department of KFRI Peechi is maintained to standardise the protocols for micropropagation of quality commercial bamboo species of interest to assure year-round production of propagules in large numbers.
To improve the productivity and quality of bamboo for future plantations require the use of quality planting material. The selection of superior genotypes based on economically important traits and field trials were undertaken to demonstrate the quality and adaptability to different agro-climatic zones.
Bamboo-based agroforestry plays an important role in enhancing productivity, sustainability & resource conservation, both technically & economically feasible in India in different agro-ecological conditions. Experiments have been set up at FRC Velupadam for intercropping of bamboo varieties with agriculture.
The training and extension Department of KFRI offers specialized training programmes related to various aspects in the bamboo sector like Propagation, Plantation management, Craft making, Resource Enhancement and Utilization, Bamboo preservation treatment, etc., to meet the requirement of various stakeholders.