Fifty-year bamboo death

10 July 2008

Bamboo flowering - picture courtesy of Dawgmatix, flickr

Flowering bamboo in Mizoram. Flickr/Dawgmatix

Every fifty years or so in northern India, the bamboo flowers and dies.

In 1911 this led ultimately to famine and death. In 1958 it led to the birth of an armed resistance movement that fought the Indian government for decades. And now it’s happening again.

BMS World Mission is working to alleviate the effects of another potential famine.

It works like this: flowering bamboo releases protein-rich seeds which are eaten by rats.

Healthier, fatter rats breed faster in reaction to the abundance of food. Rat populations increase exponentially and once they have finished the edible bamboo they move on to rice crops.

The Indian government has offered a bounty on every rat killed, but so far this has not significantly decreased numbers and now food shortages, made worse by the effects of severe monsoon rains, are leaving many in a precarious position.

Through trusted partners, BMS is providing rice and lentils to around 2,000 families of the Bru community in Mizoram, many of whom are living in temporary camps. A relief grant of £6,000 will provide some of the food needed to respond to the crisis.

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