A special training program for Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) representatives and farmers from Kathua district J&K was organised by CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu (IIIM) today under the Phase -III of CSIR-Aroma Mission. Around 50 farmers and PRI representatives from the Kathua district attended the program. During this day long programme, they were apprised about the cultivation, processing, value addition, product development and marketing of Aromatic Crops.

Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director, IIIM Jammu while speaking on the occasion said that Aroma Project activities were initially launched in 2014 as J&K AROMA AROGYA GRAM- JAAG, a project on pilot scale undertaken as per vision of Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space. After remarkable success in JAAG, the CSIR-Aroma Mission was launched and thereafter, two phases of this mission project were completed successfully, he added. He informed that the Phase-III of Aroma Mission has been approved under which  the focus would be to establish clusters where end-to-end solutions would be provided to farmers for value addition, product development which would have great impact on inclusive economic development of the farmers of the region and the promotion of the agri-tech startup ecosystem.  He also assured farmers that CSIR-IIIM will provide all support possible under the CSIR-Aroma Mission Phase-III for the development of Aroma farming and industry in the Kathua region. He suggested that this programme where PRI representatives and the progressive farmers area getting first-hand knowledge is very important as they can further train all  other farmers in their respective areas which would be a strong medium to spread  Aroma Mission activities to every nook and corner of the Union Territory.

Dr. Dhiraj Vyas, Head Plant & Agrotechnology Division, IIIM Jammudiscussed about the opportunities in the Aroma Sector and explained how the CSIR-Aroma Mission is transforming the lives of thousands of farmers across J&K through Lavender cultivation.

Earlier, Dr. Sumeet Gairola, Nodal Scientist, CSIR-Aroma Mission Phase-III (IIIM) welcomed the guests and briefly introduced them to the achievements, and future plans of the CSIR-Aroma Mission Phase-III. He informed participants that the “Purple Revolution” or “Success model of Lavender cultivation in J&K” under CSIR-Aroma Mission has now reached other states of the country like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim.

Tajinder Singh, DDC member Mahanpur Kathua, Neeru Rajput DDC member Billawar Mandli, Kathua and Sushma Jamwal, BDC Chairman Basholi also spoke on the occasion. Sarpanches and Naib Sarpanches from many villages of Kathua also attended the programme. They appreciated the efforts of IIIM and showed their enthusiasm to associate with the programme. Dr. Rajendra Bhanwaria, Senior Scientist, presented the vote of thanks. Many scientists, technical officers, and scholars of the Plant Sciences & Agrotechnology Division were also present.

Video Clip from the program for PRI representatives and farmers under Aroma Mission Phase-III organized by CSIR-IIIM Jammu on 27th April 2023.