Ukhrul: Council of Scientist and Industrial Research (CSIR) in collaboration with Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) conducted an awareness cum training programme on “Catalysing rural empowerment through cultivation, processing, value addition, and marketing of aromatic plant” under CSIR-Aromatic Mission on Monday and Tuesday at Yaingangpokpi and Ukhrul headquarters consecutively.
The programme was conducted under the guidance of Dr Srinivasa D. Reddy, Director CSIR IIIM, Jammu and Dr Sumeet Gairola, Nodal Scientist CSIR, Aroma Mission Phase-2.
Participants from round 16 villages attended the programme in Yaingangpokpi and among the 110 participants in Ukhrul headquarters were senior farmers, award winning farmers, farmer’s society, local farmers and young entrepreneurs.
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Dr Jasha Momo H Anal, Scientist, CSIR-IIIM, Jammu gave a brief introduction to Aromatic Mission; Dr Sabhajeet, Senior Scientist Plant Sciences and Agro-technology Division (PSA) CSIR-IIIM shared his expertise on “Captive Cultivation, and Processing of Aromatic plants/ crops”: Dr VP Rahul, Sr. Scientist, Plant Sciences and Agro-technology Division (PSA) CSIR-IIIM enlightened the participants about “Marketing of essential oil and value added products. Dr Francis Chipem, Asst. Professor Department of Chemistry, Manipur University and Nepolean Shaiza, Forever Mapithel Society (FMS)-a farmer’s society coordinated the program conducted in Ukhrul and Yaingangpokpi.
Aromatic mission, a central project, started in 2008, is conducted in Manipur state for the first time by CSIR-IIM Jammu under Aroma Mission.
Manipur, as a biodiversity hotspot, the scientist believes that almost any plants can be cultivated here. “We need to put more effort, that’s the important thing we lack in our society”, said Dr Chipem.
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During the technical sessions, cultivation, extraction of essential oil from aromatic and medicinal plants such as Lemongrass, Mint, Rosa grass and Lavender were presented. Lavender, the purple revolution under Aroma Mission has changed many lives in Jammu and Kashmir.
Dr VP Rahul maintained that it can be cultivated in Ukhrul, considering that apple cultivation is a success in this place. Besides that, aromatic and medicinal plants like Lemongrass and Mint are suitable to grow in this soil condition. Entrepreneurship opportunities on extraction of essential oil and values added products were also briefed during the programme.
“Cultivation of this plant can benefit the North Eastern states to boost the economy of the state and also have an impact on the outside”, said Dr Momo. He also mentioned that cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants can be an alternative to a legalized form of cultivation. Dr Momo hopes that this training programme will not only benefit the farmers but the youth and entrepreneurs.
“This is a great opportunity for us and we are very grateful to the scientist who came all the way from Jammu to inform us about the plants and their benefits”, said a farmer from Khamasom Village.
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