News Excerpt:

Small farm holders from 10 villages in Mokokchung district of Nagaland are setting an example in replacing plastics with compostable bioplastic bags made from Cassava starch.

Significance of the innovation:

• Efforts of the Government to ban single use plastic has made limited impact mainly due to lack of alternative lightweight materials that can replace the widely used plastics.
• In order to address this challenge North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) has supported an initiative to manufacture Compostable Bioplastic Bag from Cassava Starch (Manihot esculenta).
• The steps involved in converting plant based starch into bioplastic is shown in the following image.

Community based initiative:

• Ecostarch, a Nagaland based MSME, has set up a facility to manufacture bioplastic bags from Cassava plant in Mokokchung, Nagaland and is mobilizing farmers within 30-40 km range of the production facility to take up Cassava farming. 
• The farmers have already started with the plantation of materials and in about a year it will be ready for harvest.
• The current production capacity of the unit is about 3 tons per month and the market survey has revealed demand for more.

Boost to local economy :

• Through this model, ‘cassava village’ is being promoted to boost local economy and provide employment opportunity to local youth. 
• Formation of farmer groups are being facilitated to provide them with alternative livelihood opportunities through cassava farming.
• Farmers are also being trained on cassava cultivation and equipped with useful farming inputs.
• Women SHGs (Self Help Groups) operating in all the targeted villages are also being strengthened and encouraged to take up cassava cultivation as their IGA (Income Generation Activities).

Way Ahead:

• Ecostarch aims to set up a biodegradable films/bags manufacturing unit suitable for food packaging and carry bags made of cassava starch sourced locally from farmers. 
• This could employ more local youth in cleaning of raw materials, sorting and packaging of products for shipping.
• The effort has started an environment friendly plastic economy in the region creating a greener economy. 
• It is expected to act as a potential employment generation activity. It is on the way to transform each village into an enterprising hub, create a greener cyclic economy and bring about much needed economic freedom among the farmers in the rural areas.