Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine Jammu under the flagship initiative of CSIR Floriculture Mission organized capacity building workshop on scientific and innovative crop production and management technologies in commercial floriculture for the farmers of Ramban, here at Batoteon Friday.96 farmers which included women farmers participated in the workshop, that was organized in collaboration with Department of Agriculture, Batote. The farmers were also provided with the quality planting material of the high yielding variety of Marigold and package of crop production and management practices.Speaking to our correspondent, Dr Zabeer Ahmed, Director CSIR IIIM, Jammu said that the significant work being done under the Mission since past three years has given impetus to the commercial floriculture sector in the UT and has led to the increased income generation and livelihood opportunities for farmers.The efforts made under the Mission has amplified the opportunities in commercial floriculture for creation of start-ups and agri-based entreprises and we are striving to enhance the proportion of agri-entreprises in the national startup ecosystem.

He also commended the efforts of Mission team and the coordinating departments for an impactful outreach for farmer empowerment.Dr Shahid Rasool, Nodal Scientist of the Mission, who spoke to our correspondent informed that concerted efforts are being made under the Mission to enhance the skill of the farmers, florists, nursery producers and other stakeholders, and area expansion through production of multiple types of ornamentals, cut and loose flower varieties to ensure their prosperity and sustainable growth of the floriculture sector in this unique region. During the technical session, Dr Iqra Farooq, Senior Project Associate gave a detailed presentation on the innovative skills and practices for commercial nursery production, good crop husbandry, disease and insect-pest management of marigold and other floricultural crops, their utilization as fresh and dry flowers through different value addition technologies.

Present at the event, prominent Floriculturist and Member J&K Kisan Advisory Board Tajinder Singh Wazir, informed that the capacity building of farmers for production of crops on scientific lines is imperative for maximizing the quality crop yields, and the Mission team of CSIR IIIM has been extensively training small and marginal farmers across the UT, besides providing quality planting material of different crop varieties.Earlier while welcoming the farmers and the participating officials, Rakesh Padha, SMS Batote said that more than 75 farmers who were trained and provided the marigold seed under the Mission during the last cropping season reaped higher crop yields and substantial increase in overall net returns was fetched by the farmers growing the crop.The participating farmers expressed their gratitude to the team of CSIR IIIM and Deptt of Agriculture for their outreach and extending the benefit under CSIR Floriculture Mission. Present at the event included Dr Ravinder Singh, Syed Irham, Dr Dawood Yousuf and Er Aafreen Naseer who presented the vote of thanks.