Implementing Agency: - NECTAR

Water scarcity is an issue that requires urgent action. The situation is exacerbated by climate change causing erratic rainfall patterns and prolonged droughts. While many conventional engineered systems are currently available to harvest water from various sources such as through groundwater harvesting, rainwater collection and storage systems and water desalination, etc., however, for these to work, water must be readily available. But when such supplies are limited, harvesting atmospheric moisture (fog, dew, mist, etc.) can provide a way out, especially in remote areas lacking readily available water sources. One such alternative that can prove to be an economic as well as sustainable for harvesting atmospheric moisture is the Bamboo Water Tower.

Bamboo Water Tower is designed to harvest water from the atmosphere (rain, fog, dew, etc. providing an alternative water source for communities that face challenges in accessing drinkable water. It is a passive vertical structure that can be designed using locally available materials and functions by natural phenomena such as evaporation, condensation and gravity. The design depends on the local environment, i.e., meteorological conditions, site geomorphological characteristics, availability of local natural materials and local indigenous cultures and tradition

Cherrapunjee in Meghalaya is often known worldwide as the world’s wettest place with the highest rainfall annually, yet during the winter seasons, it suffers from acute water shortage and scarcity. As per Indian Meteorological Department data for the period 2011 - 2020, the mean annual average rainfall in the region was about 11856 mm for about 157 mean rainy days and the mean number of thunder and fog days was around 31.3 and 5.1. The annual temperature range in the region is also in the range of 13.8 – 21 ⁰C. Hence, the region offers ample scope for undertaking water harvesting projects of various kinds with the present one currently being proposed as a sustainable and economic solution.

Taking this into aspect, NECTAR had initiated a pilot project on Bamboo Water Tower in Ramkrishna Mission School Campus, Cherrapunjee.

Outcome and People Benefited: -

Bamboo Water Tower is designed to be owned and operated by the villagers and the local community. The project’s goal is also to empower the local economy based on people training, construction, and manufacturing, monitoring, water management and maintenance, and applications to agriculture, etc in order to meet the various water needs of the community. The project was inaugurated on 15th August 2022 by DG, NECTAR; Maharaj, RKM and dignitaries from Water Resource Department, Meghalaya. At present the amount of water collected due to fog and new is being monitored so that the exact amount of water collected on a daily/monthly basis can be estimated.

Implementing Agency: - CARTA, Guwahati

NECTAR has approved a project to Centre for Action Research and Technology Advancement (CARTA) under the TOSS scheme, to address the issue of damage to the wildlife in the Kaziranga National Park during floods by developing a floating shelter for the animals that can be used to save them during floods using bamboo composite application. The scope of the project is however limited to the lightweight endangered species of Kaziranga National Park. Currently the construction work of the shelter is in process after which it will be deployed in the Forest Area. These floating shelters might be the future of emergency shelters and potentially save millions of animal lives

Outcome and People Benefited: -

More than a dozen labours and artisans have been employed out of which 7 are women. The shelter prototype will be installed at a place where it can not only support endangered forest animals but also protect the livestock of tribal people. The shelter will enhance the infrastructure capacity of our tribal communities living in the forest and utilise their traditional wisdom in the hour of need. Providing assistance and aid to humans is obviously the priority in disaster situations, but animals represent a financial lifeline to many communities. As flooding devastated villages and forests across the state of Assam, hundreds of other animals were swept away. Many that survived the initial surge fell ill or began to starve, wreaking havoc on local economies that cannot function without livestock and working animals. Despite this, so far, animals were largely neglected in the response to the floods. The present project is a unique initiative of NECTAR dedicated to saving the lives of our Animals which are part of the landscape and ecological treasure, the benefits of which cannot be counted in the limited dynamics of socio-economic benefit.

Implementing Agency: -M/s SAN ECO Vision, Faridabad

As we know India is the 2nd largest producer of bamboo in the world. It is a natural, eco-friendly, sustainable, and renewable resource. Bamboo is capable of rapid growth and increases vegetation and forest cover. It’s naturally strong material, worthy of use for diverse purposes

Traditionally, the Indian society has been using bamboo to produce many make variety of things starting from handicraft to construction of houses. Even now, many hilly villages transport their water from higher stream through bamboo pipes. In some other parts of the world, like Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia and many other countries, bamboo is still considered very auspicious, sustainable, and also a major source for the livelihood.

The manufacturing of bamboo faucets doesn’t require a large industrial set-up. It can easily be manufactured in a much smaller setup with the use of some specially designed machinery and well-trained artisans. A specially customized faucet cartridge is used to regulate the water flow and the respective connectivity. Average faucet is made with <80% processed bamboo, >20% ceramic, metal, and the rest with rubber content. As bamboo is non-corrosive unlike metal, it can serve for a period much longer compared to metals.

Sanitary products are high in demand in the essential and luxury life-style market across the globe.The Indian market of sanitary ware and bathroom fittings was worth US$ 7220 Million (INR 48,374 CRs approx)in 2019. The respective govts are taking special care in developing public toiles and cleanliness all around cities and villages. This will surely enhance the overall consumption of sanitary products. Whereas the global ceramic sanitary ware market size is projected to grow from USD 32.1 billion (INR 215,070 CRs approx.) in 2020 to USD 44.6 billion (INR 298,820 CRs) by 2025, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8%. Presently there is no other supplier of Bamboo Sanitary fitting at the global platform.

Outcomes and People Benefited:-

The company/organisation, with the support from NECTAR developed Bamboo Faucets and Mixers which not only replaces harmful plastic and expensive metal in the faucet manufacturing but also can engage traditional bamboo artisans and generate huge employment across the country. Locations had also been finalized for installing machineries and training for manufacturing the faucets, bottle and cutleries

NECTAR has also initiated programs for skill development of rural masses for self sufficient and sustained livelihood. 30 million man-days per annum had been generated by NECTAR in various activities especially construction and mat making. 
NECTAR as erstwhile NMBA, as part of its activities has generated bamboo-based livelihood in rural/bamboo growing areas. To ensure supply of sustained and cost-effective raw material, skill development training, induction and primary processing machineries is supported for manufacturing bamboo sticks at villages and community locations. Skill up-gradation trainings are also provided in areas of mat weaving, use of natural dyes, processing of bamboo shoots, agarbatti stick rolling and incensing.

Overall NECTAR has been extensively promoting Bamboo industry bysupporting entrepreneurs through creation of marketing linkages, organizing skill development training, bridging gaps between bamboo growers and industry for quality and sustainable supply of raw material to respective processing units.

Major thrust areas in bamboo applications are:

Construction and Structural Applications – Green Material Approach

Advances in structural engineering and the development of bamboo composites and utilizing the natural higher tensile strength and a weight-to-strength ratio, have opened new vistas for earthquake resistant, lightweight, durable and aesthetic construction for a variety of applications, enabling informed choices for housing residential community and functional structures. 
NECTAR has been promoting use of bamboo and bamboo based composite material on different type of construction.

NECTAR has supported pilot project to develop and manufacture bamboo based sanitary and electrical products with an objective to replace plastic and metal with bamboo and explore multiple eco friendly options. The start-up has got appreciation and incubation by Atal Incubation Centre. Under the project, various types of bathroom and washbasin taps, overhead and hand held showers, kitchen taps and electric sockets and plugs made from bamboo were developed. The activity will create sustainable livelihood, employment opportunities, especially among the poor and disadvantaged groups, including women in North eastern region.

Prior to the NECTAR’s (erstwhileNMBA)intervention, Bamboo was largely being used in the paper industry or for handicrafts. With the NMBA’s intervention and development of new technologies, the value addition in the bamboo sector has increased from 10% to as high as 70%.

NECTAR has succeeded in: 

developing a range of new products, and process and equipment configurations and process technologies for at least fifteen products, 

• Establishing a growing number of manufacturing units in different product segments, 
• Establishing market presence and market acceptability for products, especially roofing, cladding and flooring, and developing waste utilization options. 
• There has been growing acceptability of bamboo composite material – in the first stage, one of the major uses has been in pre-fabricated structures, where 4.2million sq. ft. of bamboo based construction material has already been installed. 

NMBA has supported the development and commercializationof technologies and applications in the segments of wood substitutes, conversion of closed plywood units to bamboo ply, composites of jute and plastics, bamboo based gasification for power generation&thermal applications, bamboo based charcoal making to utilize waste and meet rural fuel requirements, edible bamboo shoot processing for low fat high fibre dietary requirement, bamboo pulp based hygiene products for rural areas, development/customization of machinery according to available bamboo species, as well as development of fire retardant, earthquake resistant and easy to install pre-fabricated as well as permanent bamboo based structures for rural and urban housing, schools, hospitals, disaster mitigationfor plain and high altitude areas.