Guwahati, Feb. 6: The Assam forest department is chalking out a roadmap to develop linkages between joint forest management committees and industrial houses for value addition and marketing of non-timber forest produce.

Representatives of different joint forest management committees have started deliberations with forest department officials on various marketable non-timber forest produce.

A three-day interactive workshop on prospects of developing linkages between joint forest management committees and industrial houses for value addition and marketing of non-timber forest produce began at the Assam state zoo here today.

Chief conservator of forests (social forestry) R.P. Agarwalla said non-timber forest produce was a huge market and can be a real money-spinner for improving the livelihood of forest villages provided proper rules are framed. ?Non-timber forest produce is a resource which can make joint forest management committees sustainable,? Agarwalla added.

Bamboo can rake in huge profits as it is found in abundance in forests of the state. Medicinal and aromatic plants, too, can create huge economic opportunities for the forest villagers.

?Industrial houses will surely come wherever they see profit and the joint forest management committees should tap the opportunity,? Agarwalla said. At present, there are around 500 joint forest management committees in the state.

Chief conservator of forests (territorial), S. Chand, said there must be enough non-timber forest produce in the forest villages for it to be harvested.

?There is a strong need for standardising the cultivation techniques and planting material in order to get good value,? Chand said. Rules will have to be framed in such a manner that the villagers get a fair share of the returns, which the product earns.

A pilot project by the World Bank-funded Assam Agricultural Competitiveness Project will empower forest villagers to take decisions right from planning to finding a market for the forest produce. One of the important initiatives under the project will be to lay emphasis on the marketing of forest produce and help find linkages.