02.04.25

Bamboo Futures: Empowering Rural Women through Sustainable Innovation in Maharashtra

About the Project

On 1 April 2025, Phoenix Foundation Sanstha and the Initiative on the Forest Economy (IoFE) at the Bharti Institute of Public Policy (BIPP), Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad, entered into a strategic partnership. The partnership will foster a women-led, community-based bamboo economy in rural Maharashtra. It leverages bamboo as both an ecological and economic resource to create sustainable and inclusive livelihoods for forest-dependent communities. This collaboration aims to drive economic transformation alongside social and ecological resilience, building a new vision for rural India—one founded on dignity, sustainability, and local leadership.

The partnership enables women from forest-dependent communities to take ownership of bamboo-based enterprises. By supporting village-level institutions and producer companies (PCs), the initiative will develop locally owned, environmentally sustainable, and socially empowering models. It will also strengthen Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR), ensuring that local people benefit directly from the forests they conserve and manage.

Community Empowerment

To provide the necessary tools and support, IoFE will offer technical expertise, policy guidance, and project management support through its field teams. Phoenix Foundation Sanstha will continue to lead on-ground implementation, community mobilisation, and liaison with local government bodies. The partnership will also coordinate with other institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and stakeholders involved in bamboo livelihoods to create a collaborative ecosystem.

Implementation Framework

Over the next two years, the initiative will develop, test, and scale innovative models demonstrating bamboo’s potential as a driver of rural prosperity. Through regular reviews and continuous learning, the partnership will adapt to maximise impact at both the grassroots and policy levels.

Two-Year Roadmap