As part of the CSIR's integrated skill initiative, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Pulwama, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), organised a two-day skill development programme for Kashmiri students on the theme of "Entrepreneurship Opportunities in Cultivation and Processing of High-Value Aroma Cash Crops" at its field station, Bonera in the Pulwama district of South Kashmir.
Tej Pratap, Vice-Chancellor, G.B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, and Member, CSIR Aroma Mission National Monitoring Committee, presided over the event.
Members of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), Self-Help Groups (SHGs), research academics from SKUAST, Kashmir, and students from the Government Degree College, Baramulla were among the 73 participants.
India is imparting skill and capacity building for the growth of entrepreneurial ecosystems in several sectors through the CSIR's Integrated Skill Initiative.
Technical sessions were held throughout the course of the two-day programme, in which participants were informed about entrepreneurial potential in the cultivation and processing of medicinal and aromatic crops.
In-farm capacity building and training on QPM generation, crop productivity, and post-harvest management were also performed through field and exposure visits. Kashmiri students praised the responsible institutions for assisting them in setting up their own aromatic plant units.
"We've put together a training programme to teach students how to produce aromatic and therapeutic plants and how to start an agricultural business." This type of farming was formerly only done by the wealthy, but it is increasingly being taken up by small farmers. Small farmers are encouraged to take up this cultivation through programmes run by the central government, such as the aroma mission and the floriculture mission," Tej Pratap stated (VC G.B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology Uttarakhand).
"Today, we learned about how to start our own business." We learn how to produce lavender, prepare it, and sell it in the market here. We also learned how to prepare rose oil, among other things. "We learned a lot from IIIM," stated one of the participants, Mohammad Salim.
"We were made aware of prospects in the aromatic and floriculture missions." "They informed us that if we want to start a business, they will supply us with materials," said Shabir Ahmad, a participant.
"We learned how to grow plants, harvest them, and get oil from them." We were given instructions on how to advertise them. "We learned how to produce lavender, roses, tulips, and a variety of other plants," said participant Zeenat Shafi.
