HANDBOOK

Uravu Indigenous Science &Technology Study Centre

Alternatives for a greener planet!

ABOUT US

Uravu Indigenous Science and Technology Study Centre commonly known as Uravu located in Thrikkaipetta village of Wayanad District, Kerala is a not for profit bamboo based developmental organisation that strives for rural empowerment through sustainable solutions. Established in 1996, Uravu has evolved as a knowledge centre and a one stop point for bamboo solutions, that spearheads the development of bamboo sector in the state and beyond. Today we have interventions across six different verticals of the 'green gold- bamboo',the most important ones being bamboo products based livelihood support program for rural poor, bamboo plantation based ecological restoration programs and bamboo knowledge dissemination programs in the form of skill development trainings and workshops.

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CONTENTS

Vision

Mission

Our story

SDGs we're commi�ed to

Organiza�on structure

Sustainability Model

What we do

Tales of Empowerment

Board of Trustees

Partners

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VISION

Rural empowerment through sustainable solutions.

MISSION

To inspire, initiate, innovate and implement processes from the premises of eco-fraternity to facilitate sustainable development.

To identify, revive, reinvent and promote appropriate indigenous knowledge systems and green technologies to build sustainable alternatives.

To identify and promote secure means of livelihood out of sustainable alternatives thereby reducing rural poverty.

To evolve strategies to overcome resource scarcity and marketing challenges faced by Indigenous village knowledge systems.

To tap the potential of Bamboo and establish it’ s credentials as the ultimate wood, plastic and iron substitute.

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OUR STORY

Uravu Indigenous Science and Technology Study Centre commonly known as Uravu located in Thrikaipetta village of Wayanad District, Kerala is a not for profit, non-govern-mental organization that strives for rural empowerment through sustainable solutions. Established in 1996, URAVU works with people, governments and businesses to facilitate initiatives with the prime motive of sustainable development and implements focused end-to-end programs in the bamboo sector.

Promotion of bamboo handicrafts as a means of employment and income generation for rural women, promotion & cultivation of bamboo for its environmental and economic benefits and bamboo knowledge dissemination programs in the form of skill develop-ment trainings and workshops are the core activities of the organization. Uravu’s bamboo nursery is arguably the largest in South India in terms of species variety and hosts more than 50 different species. Uravu has trained and established many SHGs that depend on bamboo handicrafts as their primary source of livelihood. Around 200 artisans- 90% women- work in these SHGs. These SHGs are organized in the form of a cluster. The common facility centre is the nerve centre of all the activities and provides forward and backward linkages to the SHGs. The CFC also hosts our in-house designers and trainers, art enthusiasts, student and designers across the globe who constantly engage in efforts and research to redefine bamboo. Several agencies like UNIDO, NABARD, KVIC, Bamboo Mission, AICCA, etc. have partnered with us in disseminating the knowledge we possess by organizing training programs and workshops.

Uravu’s major contribution lies in mainstreaming bamboo based economic activities in Kerala. It has tremendously to helped improve the social status of bamboo artisans by

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removing caste-based perceptions in the occupation. Their per day income levels have risen from Rs. 20-30 in 1990s to Rs. 175-1000 . From 8 families in 1996, around 100 families depend on bamboo-based activites as their primary income source in Thrikaipet-ta village alone today, transforming the whole village economy. This small rural remote village is known today for its expertise in bamboo and is identified and acclaimed across the globe as a bamboo village. The State Government has also acknowledged this growth and as declared Thrikaipetta as the first and the only heritage village in Bamboo in Kerala.

Our experiments and explorations in bamboo are equally fuelled by environmental reasons. Bamboo is one of the vital nature’s substitutes for the endangered rainforest hardwoods. It is a quick-growing, versatile, non-timber forest product whose rate of biomass generation is unsurpassed by any other plants. It absorbs more carbon dioxide and releases more oxygen than any other plant species and is an effective erosion control plant. Serious attempts are made through our nursery-largest in South India in terms of species diversity, to increase bamboo cover and promote it as an agricultural crop that could also augment farmer’s income at minimum risk. Uravu hosts Kerala’s only art gallery and strives to establish the potential of bamboo as a strong medium of expression and creativity. We have developed more than 600 products and designs in bamboo during our journey. From crafts and curios to lights, decor, lifestyle and utility items our product range is diverse and unique. Most of them are a direct substitute for plastic, wood and iron. All these products testify bamboo’s potential in promoting a more sustainable way of living.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS(SDGs) WE ARE COMMITTED TO

SDG 1: No PovertyUravu’s livelihood support program primarily focuses to address the issue of rural poverty in Wayanad- the Vidharbha of Kerala- a district famous for its pristine natural beauty but also unfortunately for farmer’s suicide. Through our focused intervention we aim to help the rural population to find and establish alternate and sustainable sources of income. We have positively impacted the lives and realities of 150+ families in an around Thrikaipetta village so far and is committed to support more through our initiatives.

SDG 5: Gender EqualityThe major beneficiary of our livelihood support program is Rural women from impoverished backgrounds. We believe that empowering women economically would essentially strengthen their voices which in turn would contribute to the larger cause of Gender equality. We are also committed for their overall growth and development by providing them with exposure and self-belief to change and challenge their lives.

SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic GrowthUravu’s interventions in modernizing, upgrading and streamlining bamboo based economic activities have tremendously helped to improve the social status of bamboo artisans in Kerala. We have helped in mainstreaming bamboo crafts and other bamboo-based occupations by removing the caste perceptions associated with it. Our activities have directly contributed in transforming the village economy as well. Thrikaipetta, which had just 8 families working in bamboo in 1996, is known today for its expertise in bamboo and is identified and acclaimed across the globe as a bamboo village and the bamboo headquarters of Kerala.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & ProductionUravu’s bamboo nursery is the largest in South India in terms of species diversity and hosts more than 50 different species. The sustainable model of Uravu ensures efficient management and consumption of this renewable resource by promoting bamboo plantation and advocating it as an ultimate substitute of wood, plastic, and iron.

SDG 13: Climate ActionUravu’s experiments and explorations in Bamboo industry are equally fuelled by the environmental benefits of the Green Gold. Bamboo is one of the most important nature’s substitutes for the endangered rainforest hardwoods. It is a quick-growing, versatile, non-timber forest product whose rate of biomass generation is unsurpassed by any other plants. It absorbs more carbon dioxide and releases more oxygen than any other plant species and is an effective erosion control plant. Serious attempts are made through our nursery to increase bamboo cover and promote it as an agricultural crop.

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ORGANISATION STRUCTURE

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TRUSTEE BOARD

MANAGINGTRUSTEES

LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS

SHGs

SECTIONHEAD

CFC INTERIORNURSERY&

PLANTATION

SECTIONHEAD

SECTIONHEAD

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CEO

BLINDSSHGs

MARKETING

LIVELIHOODSUPPORT

PROGRAM

ART&

INSTALLATION

TRAININGS&

WORKSHOP

R & D

PROJECTS

SECTIONHEAD

SECTIONHEAD

SECTIONHEAD

COO

FINANCE

SUSTAINABILITY MODEL

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ECONOMIC

* Livelihood Support Program with forward and backward linkages* Integrated working model

SOCIAL

* Training Programs* Knowledge Dissemination* Policy Intervention

ENVIRONMENTAL

* Bamboo Nursery* Plastic Alternatives

Bamboo & Beyond

Environmental sustainability-Reducing carbon footprint through plantation drives and expansion of bamboo cover.-Promoting plastic alternatives and reducing plastic waste.-Promotion of bamboo culture to mitigate climate change and to combat the imminent danger poised by it.

Economic sustainability-Livelihood support program striving to ensure regular work days and income for members of affiliated SHGs/ producer groups.-Identification and promotion of diverse income generating opportunities.-Integrated collaborative working model to balance the infant nature of the industry and to ensure regular revenue generation.- Forward and backward linkages for SHGs/producer groups to ensure regular employment and income generation.

Social sustainability-Training Programs for disseminating knowledge.-Awareness workshops about bamboo as a sustainable alternative.-Advocacy and policy level interventions to integrate bamboo into the mainstream psyche.-Bamboo based skill development and livelihood support program aiming at empowering rural women.

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WHAT WE DO?

Uravu with a legacy of 23 years has evolved as a brand synonymous to Bamboo.

Uravu ecosystem consists of two organisations:

1.Uravu Indigenous Science and Technology Study Centre- A Charitable Trust2.Uravu Ecolinks – A Public Limited Company

Together, Uravu ecosystem caters to nine different sectors in Bamboo and strives to develop as a centre of excellence and a one stop point for all solutions regarding bamboo. While Uravu trust works across six different verticals in bamboo, Uravu Ecolinks caters to three different areas.

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URAVU TRUST - Areas of Activities

URAVU ECOLINKS - Areas of Activities

NURSERY&

PLANTATION

LIVELIHOODSUPPORT

PROGRAMME(Lifestyle products/Blinds)

ART&

INSTALLATIONS

INTERIORS

TRAININGS&

WORKSHOPS

COMMONFACILITIESCENTRE

BAM

BOO

DEP

OT

CONSTRUCTIO

N

ECOFRIENDLY COMMUNITY TOURISM

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1.BAMBOO NURSERY

Bamboo Nursey is one of the defining features of Uravu’s model. The nursery primarily strives to provide assistance for eco-restoration programmes and to ensure the aavailabili-ty of raw materials for Bamboo based production units. With more than 50 species commercially available, our nursery is the largest in South India in terms of species variety.We have a wide range of both garden and agricultural varities of bamboo.

Nursery and Plantations

We’re highly committed for the promotion of bamboo plantations both for its enviorn-mental and economic reasons. Bamboo is a viable agriculture crop which would provide guaranteed income with minimum risk and maintenance. Bamboo the green gold is widely regarded as the super crop and super material of 21st century. Bamboo is the most prominent component in central governments ambitious project to double the farmers income by 2022.Apart from supplying saplings, we also take up plantation and plantation management programs on a contract basis.

To know more about Bamboo Economics, visit the nursery section at www.uravu.in.

WHAT WE DO?

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BAMBOO SPECIES VARIETIESAVAILABLE WITH US.

Name of Species Assam gold 9Shizostacheum brachycladum) B.pallida B.vulgaris - green B.vulgaris -yellow Bambusa varigata (White leaf) Gigantochloa andamanica Bambusva balcooa Bambusa bambose Bambusa caccharancis Bambusa glaucescens - Bush Bamboo Bambusa latiflorus Bambusa mizoramiana Bambusa multiplex (Pencil Bamboo) (green) Bambusa multiplex (yellow) Bambusa nutans Bambusa polymorpha Bambusa tulda Bambusa vulgaris waminA(Budhas belly) green Black bamboo(Gigantochloa atroviolatia) Burmese bamboo Bambusa ventricosa (Copper bamboo) Creeper bamboo(Dinochloa andamanica) Dendro calamus longispathus Dendrocalamus asper Dendrocalamus brandisii Dendrocalamus giganteus (giant bamboo)

Dendrocalamus hamiltoni Dendrocalamus maroochy Dendrocalamus membranaceus Dendrocalamus sikkimensis Dendrocalamus strictus (Mysore) Dendrocalamus strictus (Nilambur, straight) Garden Bamboo Gigantochloa albociliata Gigantochloa nigrociliata Guadua angustifolia Melocanna bacciferra Ochlandra scriptoria Ochlandra setigera Ochlandra travancorica (Eetta) Oxytenanthera parvifolia Phyllostachis aurius (Chinese bamboo) Psuedoxytenanthera ritcheyi Psuedoxytenanthera stocksii Schizostachyum beddomie Schizostachyum dullooa Shibataea kumasaca Thyrsostachis oliveri (Lathi bamboo) Thyrsostachis siamensis(monastery bamboo) Thysanolaena maxima -Tiger grass White leaf –big(white dragon)Fargesia dracocephala

WHAT WE DO?

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2. LIVELIHOOD SUPPORT PROGRAMME

One of the flagship initiatives of Uravu Indigenous Science & Technology Study Centre is the Skill Development and Livelihood support program in Bamboo which provides employment to more than 100 rural women. The beneficiaries are organised in the form of SHGs/producer groups and are provided with hand holding support from Uravu. These groups are further organised in the form of a Cluster. At present Uravu is supporting 17 SHGs, five of them are functioning from the premises of Uravu at Thrikaipetta. Other units function like satellites and are located in different areas in and around Uravu at a maximum radius of 30 km.

The primary objectives of the Livelihood Support Program are to ensure that:1)The SHGs/producer groups particularly the most vulnerable ones have regular employment and source of income.2)The SHGs/producer groups receive pre and post production facilities with optimum quality.

Through the livelihood support program, Uravu offers six levels of support to an SHG or a producer group to sustain. They are:1) Raw Material support2) Training support3) Technical support4) Design Support5) Marketing support6) Space

WHAT WE DO?

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It helps the SHGs to enhance their capacities and generate more income, without worrying about the additional burden of procurement and processing of the raw material. A particular unit can choose to avail all levels of support or particular areas based on their capacity and requirement.

The SHGs or the producer groups are divided into two categories based on their ability and capacity and the level of support they choose.

1.Dependent Units: A unit/ producer group/ artisan with a separate and independent existence who choose the five major layers of support i.e., Raw material, Training, Technical, Design and Marketing Support.

Usually they are layman artisans mostly women who require designs and technical knowhow to sustain. Our Research & Development wing feeds them with the expertise to prosper and they are completely dependent upon Uravu to sustain.

Following are the dependent units associated with Uravu:1) Dreams2) Shilpi3) Niravu4) Pulari5) Varnam6) Soubhagya7) Swaraj8) Sneha9) Peeli

WHAT WE DO?

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2.Independent Units: A unit/ producer group/ artisan with a separate and independent existence who is capable enough to sustain themselves. They might choose any of the five major layers of support i.e., Raw material, Training, Technical, Design and Marketing Support, but not all.

Following are the independent units associated with Uravu:

1) Bhavam2) Unarvu3) Urvara4) Travancore Art and Craft5) Thrikkaipetta Pickles6) Shrooms7) Uravu Bags8) Fatima Dry flower

Rural artisans, majorly women from these SHGs produce Bamboo Lifestyle Products and Bamboo Blinds.

WHAT WE DO?

a) Bamboo Blinds

Handcrafted and elegant, Uravu’s roll-up bamboo blinds are made by the in house SHGs of the common facilities center. It comes in over 20 patterns and shades, allowing different degrees of sunlight filtering and privacy. Handmade slivers provides greater durability and treated bamboo wards of borers. Beautifully side lined with synthetic straps, Our blinds blends to any décor.

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2.Independent Units: A unit/ producer group/ artisan with a separate and independent existence who is capable enough to sustain themselves. They might choose any of the five major layers of support i.e., Raw material, Training, Technical, Design and Marketing Support, but not all.

Following are the independent units associated with Uravu:

1) Bhavam2) Unarvu3) Urvara4) Travancore Art and Craft5) Thrikkaipetta Pickles6) Shrooms7) Uravu Bags8) Fatima Dry flower

Rural artisans, majorly women from these SHGs produce Bamboo Lifestyle Products and Bamboo Blinds.

b) Bamboo Lifestyle Products

With an exclusive collection of more than 500 products, Uravu has a pioneering role in setting benchmarks in the bamboo industry. Though little known to the outside world, Uravu’s women folk are trained and equipped to create wonders in bamboo – from Masks and Lampshades to Bamboo pens and Baskets, creativity of our artisans know no limits!

WHAT WE DO?WHAT WE DO?

2.Independent Units: A unit/ producer group/ artisan with a separate and independent existence who is capable enough to sustain themselves. They might choose any of the five major layers of support i.e., Raw material, Training, Technical, Design and Marketing Support, but not all.

Following are the independent units associated with Uravu:

1) Bhavam2) Unarvu3) Urvara4) Travancore Art and Craft5) Thrikkaipetta Pickles6) Shrooms7) Uravu Bags8) Fatima Dry flower

Rural artisans, majorly women from these SHGs produce Bamboo Lifestyle Products and Bamboo Blinds.

WHAT WE DO?

a) Bamboo Blinds

Handcrafted and elegant, Uravu’s roll-up bamboo blinds are made by the in house SHGs of the common facilities center. It comes in over 20 patterns and shades, allowing different degrees of sunlight filtering and privacy. Handmade slivers provides greater durability and treated bamboo wards of borers. Beautifully side lined with synthetic straps, Our blinds blends to any décor.

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2.Independent Units: A unit/ producer group/ artisan with a separate and independent existence who is capable enough to sustain themselves. They might choose any of the five major layers of support i.e., Raw material, Training, Technical, Design and Marketing Support, but not all.

Following are the independent units associated with Uravu:

1) Bhavam2) Unarvu3) Urvara4) Travancore Art and Craft5) Thrikkaipetta Pickles6) Shrooms7) Uravu Bags8) Fatima Dry flower

Rural artisans, majorly women from these SHGs produce Bamboo Lifestyle Products and Bamboo Blinds.

b) Bamboo Lifestyle Products

With an exclusive collection of more than 500 products, Uravu has a pioneering role in setting benchmarks in the bamboo industry. Though little known to the outside world, Uravu’s women folk are trained and equipped to create wonders in bamboo – from Masks and Lampshades to Bamboo pens and Baskets, creativity of our artisans know no limits!

WHAT WE DO?

WHAT WE DO?

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3. TRAININGS AND WORKSHOPS

The knowledge we possess in bamboo as a material is our biggest asset and we have been organising different programs to disseminate this. We organize custom trainings and workshops across different domains of bamboo attracting interest from bamboo lovers, government agencies, livelihood organisations, entrepreneurs, artisans, designers, school and college students, tourists etc. The programs include:

1. Introduction to bamboo processing and treatment.2. Introduction to Bamboo propagation and Nursery management.3. Introduction to entrepreneurship in Bamboo.4. Basic Hands on experience in Bamboo for tourists, students and nature lovers.5. Custom Workshops for college and student groups.6. Basic skill development programs in bamboo products making (10-30 days)7. Skill upgradation workshops8. Product development workshops9. Design transfer workshops10. Comprehensive program to develop master craftspersons (2-6 months)

Other tailor made programs according to the requirement.

WHAT WE DO?

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4. COMMON FACILITIES CENTRE (CFC)

CFC is the nerve centre of all the activities. It hosts a machine room and have facilities for storing raw materials and bamboo treatment. Bamboo treatment and processing are the primary functions of CFC. The processed raw material is then made available to production units and also supplied outside.

WHAT WE DO?

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5. BAMBOO INTERIOR

The demand for sustainable designs and eco-friendly material in the interior design industry has seen a sudden rise over the past few years. Bamboo produces minimum amount of environmental impact as it grows exceptionally fast and works as an effective substitute to wood. Uravu stepped into the bamboo interiors sector a couple of years back with the immense experience and expertise it has gained over years with respect to properties and characteristics of bamboo as a building material. While bamboo is not a very cost effective material owing to the difficulty in sourcing and processing, it is one of the healthiest building material that have least impact on the ecosystem. Uravu’s touch of bamboo adds grace and a character to any interior space.

WHAT WE DO?

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6. Art & Installations

Bamboo is a truly wonderful material for designers, builders and philosophers too. With the immense versatility in its species diversity, its strength and flexibility, slenderness and girth, hollowness and wall thickness, local adaptability and universality, bamboo remains a material being explored forever. Sharing in this search with their innate and acquired talents, Uravu’s mastercraftsmen make exquisite one-of-its-kind products – masks, lights, woven artifacts, furniture, thematic installations. Uravu hosts bamboo art exhibitions from time to time showcasing the beauty and charm of bamboo as a fine art material.

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TALES OF EMPOWERMENT

RAKESH

A legacy passed on to him by his father, Rakesh is one of the most gifted artisan we have ever come through. Rakesh hales from a very humble background and while his siblings moved on to other pastures, Rakesh remained determined to continue his father's tradition of creating wonders in bamboo. He found Uravu as the ideal destination for supporting his course and his life journey. Today, he leads workshops and training programs at Uravu. One of the most priced assets of Uravu, he led the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation’s Bamboo based product making workshop, recently concluded in Srilanka. His mastery over bamboo as a material has helped him evolve new designs and innovative products.

JAMEELA

Freedom in the work space is the single most important factor that prompted Jameela to stay on with Uravu for the last 20 years. Never afraid to take up responsibilities, she took on her shoulders the challenge of bringing up her daughter and supporting her mother after a broken marriage early in life. As the president of the cluster federation, the association bamboo artisans in the Kalpetta bamboo cluster organized by Uravu, she has been leading the artisans for the last five years. “ I have attended several workshops, trained many people, seen places, interacted with several bigwigs, ministers and officials, all because of my job with Uravu,” Jameela says with pride.

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LENIN. C. P

‘Elemental’ is the word most suited to describe Lenin, self-taught artist and designer at Uravu. He is arguably the most talented bamboo artisan in the country. The bamboo craft works of Lenin are explorations on the immense possibilities of forms and shapes that can be created out of the strength and flexibility of bamboo. While he relishes in utilizing the natural forms of bamboo to the maximum to make simple but artistic products, he also shows the penchant for creating with bamboo several forms of life dear to his mind – the flora and fauna of watery village life in Kerala.

GEETA

Making bamboo pens is the job with which Geetha earns her income. Despite having endured several miseries in her life like the death of her mother in her childhood, the torments of an early marriage, she nourished her spirits through reading. As if in consola-tion of her inability to write her life story, Geetha has been making the script-o bamboo pen, the signature product of Uravu. Besides providing a stable income for her family, it has become a much treasured, meaningful and decent vocation for Geetha.

TALES OF EMPOWERMENT

MAJOR PARTNERS

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Kerala State Bamboo Mission

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Wayanad TourismOrganisation

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Dr. Abdullaku�y A KPresident

Doctor turnedOrganic farmer

T. SivarajSecretary

Social Activist, Advisor –Maharashtra Bamboo

Development Board

Antony C PTreasurer

Social activist

Tony PaulTrustee

CEO, Uravu

Surendranath CTrustee

Ex- journalist, The Hindu

Baburaj MTrustee

Farmer, Social Activist

C.D.SuneeshTrustee

Advisor, Ministry ofAgriculture, Kerala

Prof. A G RaoTrustee

Professor, IDC, IIT Bombay

Dr Syam ViswanathTrustee

Director, KFRI

Dr. K K SeethalakshmiTrustee

Chief scientist (rtd),KFRI

Lenin C PTrustee

Chief designer, Uravu

K K SalimTrusteeArtisan

CONTACT USUravu Indigenous Science &Technology Study Centre,

Thrikkaipe�a P. o - 673577,Wayanad District, Kerala, India.

Phone: +91 7902748291 I +91 7902748292 I +91 4936 231 400

www.uravu.in info@uravu.in

uravu.in uravu.in UravuIndia company/uravu