From the archive record
Indian men harvest bamboo trees in Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, India. India has the potential to be the largest bamboo growing country in the world. After Sugarcane, bamboo is the best solar energy conservator in nature and has a vastly lower need for water. Bamboo is a critical element in balancing the oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Bamboo plays a very important role in conserving soil and water. Bamboo is eminently suitable for housing and general engineering because of its high strength/weight ratio, phenomenal flexibility and tubular anatomy. The products made by traditional bamboo artisans groups continue to play a crucial role in the rural agro-industries, but most of India's 20 lakhs bamboo artisans have to suffer because of the scarcity of raw material. Bamb