Three-day forestry training in Agartala stresses sustainable livelihood, green entrepreneurship

The three-day training programme on “Forestry in Addressing Livelihood Issues of People of North Eastern States” concluded on Friday at the ICFRE–Livelihood Extension Centre, Agartala, with a strong emphasis on sustainable utilisation of locally available resources to create employment through value addition and prepare the next generation for entrepreneurship.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, the programme aimed at sensitising stakeholders on the intrinsic link between forestry and livelihood, ensuring that conservation and development move forward together.

The training was inaugurated by MLA Antara Sarkar Deb, in the presence of Dr. Nitin Kulkarni, Director of ICFRE-RFRI Jorhat, along with several dignitaries and participants from diverse fields, including students, elected representatives, bankers, social activists, watershed committees, academicians and media persons.

Speaking at the event, MLA Sarkar Deb—who earlier ran a handicraft production unit—highlighted the vast potential of Tripura’s natural resources. She said the state’s handloom and handicraft products have strong market demand, but a skilled workforce and entrepreneurial mindset are essential to ensure artisans reap the benefits rather than middlemen.

“There is no age bar for learning. Everyone should come forward, take skill development training and utilise natural resources like bamboo, agar and other plant products for value addition to achieve economic self-reliance,” she said.

Resource person Dr Abhinav Kant, in-charge of the Bamboo and Cane Development Institute (BCDI), Agartala, described bamboo as a potential “game changer” for Tripura.

“From propagation to value addition and marketing, bamboo offers immense livelihood opportunities. There is huge demand for planting materials and raw bamboo, and Tripura’s special varieties are exported not only to mainland India but also abroad,” he noted.

He added that involving students through such training complements the NEP 2020, which mandates vocational training and internships to build entrepreneurship skills and address unemployment.

The technical sessions covered several key themes, including the role of forestry in livelihood generation in the North East, non-timber forest products (NTFPs), underexploited horticulture crops, and entrepreneurship development. A field visit also formed part of the curriculum.

In his address, Dr. Nitin Kulkarni underscored the North East’s status as one of India’s richest biodiversity zones, with forest cover averaging around 70 percent across states—an asset that must be used with caution.

“Tripura has the perfect combination—biodiversity, artisans and markets—to explore forest-based livelihood opportunities. But sustainability must always come first. Future generations must understand how much, where and when to exploit forest resources,” he said, stressing responsible harvesting and stakeholder awareness.

The training, he added, aims to deepen this understanding among students, journalists, bankers and other participants, ensuring that development never compromises ecological balance.

The programme concluded with a call to promote green entrepreneurship and community participation as pathways to sustainable livelihoods in the North Eastern region.