Position: Program & Partnership Manager – Cane and Bamboo Value chain with NECBDC Location: Bangalore, Karnataka Starting date: January 1st, 2025 Reports to: Senior Program Manager, SELCO foundation Minimum work experience: 8-10 years
SELCO Foundation is a not-for-profit organization established in 2010 that engages in field-based R&D and ecosystem building for the deployment of clean energy and built environment solutions that alleviate poverty in tribal, rural and urban poor areas. The organization works in collaboration with practitioners in the social sector, NGOs, and governments to alleviate poverty.
The Northeastern region of India is abundant in bamboo resources, both in terms of its widespread distribution and the variety of species found. Bamboo plays a vital role in the local economy and is crucial for the food and nutritional security of rural communities, especially among the tribal populations. These communities utilize bamboo for various purposes, including food, shelter, furniture, handicrafts, medicines etc. The skill of working with bamboo is prevalent across the region's tribes, with many, particularly women, possessing highly refined craftsmanship. The region's craft tradition includes diverse bamboo products used for furniture, home décor, accessories, and jewelry. It is estimated that around 2 million traditional artisans in India rely almost entirely on harvesting, processing, adding value to, and selling bamboo products such as baskets, mats, and handicrafts for their livelihood (FSI, 2019).The industrial, economic, and ecological potential of bamboo in Northeast India remains largely untapped. Developing the bamboo sector could significantly contribute to at least seven of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty alleviation, affordable and clean energy, resilient housing, sustainable consumption, climate change mitigation, and terrestrial ecosystem protection. However, the current commercial use of bamboo is restricted to low-volume handicrafts, low-cost construction, and traditional energy sources.
Selco Foundation recognizes that upgrading the value chain of the bamboo sector in the Northeastern states will lead to the creation of diversified, market-driven products, enhance efficiency, and enable skilled-based activities that allow participation in high-end domestic and international markets. This transformation of production processes aims to reduce drudgery, boost productivity and improve income of the artisans while preparing for future market opportunities.In this regard, Selco is partnering with Northeast Cane and Bamboo Development Council (NECBDC). The NECBDC operates across Northeast India, leveraging the region’s abundant bamboo resources to promote sustainable economic development. Through a range of initiatives—such as the sustainable bamboo cultivation, cluster-based Common Facility Centers (CFCs), technology development, various skill development programs and marketlinkage assistance—NECBDC empowers local artisans, implements livelihood promotion projects,facilitates eco-friendly production practices and aligns with India’s Vision 2047 goals for sustainable development.Given SELCO Foundation’s expertise in ecosystem building, a strategic partnership would provide essential support towards solar, energy efficient/ optimization of processing line and machines, and enhance the resilience and productivity via workspaces and additionally catalyzing product design, design capacity building, market linkages and network for marketing platforms. The goal is to make NECBDCs initiatives more climate resilient while focusing on artisan incomes and rural enterprise development in NER.
The Program and Partnership Manager will oversee and manage the Cane and Bamboo Value Chain development program, ensuring the successful execution of the project in collaboration with the Northeast Cane and Bamboo Development Council (NECBDC). The role will focus on developing and upgrading/innovating the bamboo value chain, innovating energy efficient technologies, fostering strategic partnerships for market linkages, product design/development and integrating renewable energy solutions into the bamboo value chain. The Manager will be responsible for both the day-to-day management of the program and maintaining a strong partnership with NECBDC to drive sustainable, long-term impact in the region. The position also requires strong team management skills to lead, mentor, and coordinate a cross-functional team effectively.
To apply for the position of Program & Partnership Manager – Cane and Bamboo Value chain with NECBDC, Please click HereDeadline: 15th December 2024SELCO is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages all candidates from marginalized communities, genders, sexuality, religions, and abilities to apply to become a part of the organization.