Tripura

Training and capacity building
A CIBART promoted institution TRIBAC in Tripura was supported by INBAR to develop local bamboo enterprises. It provided direct employment to over 1,000 local participants in the first two years. TRIBAC is majority community owned institution working out of a Common Facility Centre (CFC) at Gandhigram, with land and a building being leased to TRIBAC by the State Government. Through the Gandhigram Centre, TRIBAC provides local artisans with training and capacity building for bamboo product production and enterprise development. The Centre is equipped with rolling, scenting, colouring, mat painting and packaging facilities. TRIBAC ensured that artisans have a secure local market for raw agarbatti sticks and bamboo mats. Value adding processes supplied products directly to the market through trade fairs and two branded forms of agarbatti, Neer Mahal and Rangamati were launched. This project increased incomes of local beneficiaries, 90% of whom were women and first-time earners.