Five-Day Skill Development Programme for farmers and SHGs under CSIR Aroma Mission commenced at CSIR-IIIM

Jul 15, 2025

JAMMU: CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu, organized a ‘Five-Day Skill Development Training Programme' for farmers and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under CSIR Aroma Mission Phase-III, aimed to empower them through value addition and entrepreneurship in aromatic crops.

The event was jointly inaugurated by Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director of CSIR-IIIM, Jammu, Dr. Sanjeev Khosla, Director, CSIR-IMTECH, Chandigarh and Dr. Sudesh Kumar Yadav, Director, CSIR-IHBT, Palampur at its experimental Farm Chatha, Jammu.

The inaugural day witnessed participation from progressive farmers, women-led SHGs, and stakeholders in the aroma sector. The programme is a part of the national-level mission being implemented by 11 CSIR laboratories, with CSIR-IIIM as the key institute known for Lavender cultivation.

The inaugural session featured technical sessions, a live demonstration of essential oil extraction and a value-added product display. More than 100 farmers including SHG of 40 women from Phly mandal, and old Satwari participated in the inaugural day.

The five-day programme will focus on various aspects of aromatic crop cultivation, value addition, distillation, processing, marketing, and entrepreneurship development. Participants will be trained in techniques for product development and post-harvest processing, with a special emphasis on women-led innovation and rural enterprise.

The programme aims to create a sustainable value chain in the aroma sector and build capacity among stakeholders for long-term income generation. This initiative reflects CSIR-IIIM Jammu's commitment to fostering inclusive growth and supporting grassroots entrepreneurship.

Dr. Sanjeev Khosla, Director, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh, highlighted the importance of connecting scientific research with on-ground agricultural needs. He emphasized that "CSIR's objective is to engage with farmers, understand their real-time challenges, and offer practical solutions. Sharing the work of our labs with stakeholders ensures societal benefit and enhances skill development."

Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director, CSIR-IIIM Jammu welcomed the participants and emphasized the institute's continuous efforts to support farmers under the guidance of the Government of India and the Ministry of Science and Technology, led by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh.

Dr. Ahmed further stated, "CSIR Aroma Mission has been instrumental in providing handholding to farmers. I am pleased to share that CSIR-IIIM is now planning to initiate a long-duration advanced programme specifically for women entrepreneurs in the aroma sector." He further encouraged participants to reach out to the institute's team in case of any difficulties and applauded the active participation of women's Self-Help Groups.

In his remark, Dr. Sudesh Kumar Yadav, Director, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, stated that the success of any national-level mission depends on how effectively local farmers implement it for their livelihood and community well-being.

He cited the example of floriculture in Kashmir, where tulip seeds previously imported from the Netherlands are now being produced locally through efforts by CSIR-IIIM and CSIR-IHBT marking a significant achievement in self-reliance.

The forenoon session was marked by videos of the farmer community cultivating aromatic crops, technical discussion on soil analysis, product development and live demonstration of Lemongrass oil distillation.

The Program is being coordinated by Dr. Suphla Gupta, Senior Principal Scientist & Nodal Scientist, CSIR Aroma Mission Phase-III, along with her team including Dr. Rajendra Bhanwaria, Senior Scientist, Dr. Sabhajeet, Senior Scientist, Dr. V.P. Rahul, Senior Scientist and Dr. Siya Ram Meena, Senior Technical Officer, Jyotsna Sharma, Vanshika Bhagat, Neelisha Ambardar, Shiksha Sharma and Amulya Mansotra (project staff) for the successful conduction of the said program.