55 participants from 11 states join four-day skill and technology upgradation programme in Lucknow
Lucknow: The CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Lucknow, inaugurated a four-day Skill-cum-Technology Upgradation Training Programme on Economically Important Medicinal and Aromatic Plants today, drawing participation from across the country.
A total of 55 participants from 11 states have registered for the programme, reflecting the growing national interest in medicinal and aromatic crops as a sustainable livelihood option.
The inaugural session was held online and was addressed by Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director, CSIR-CIMAP, who highlighted the vast potential and future scope of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) in strengthening India’s agri-based economy.
He emphasized the importance of scientific interventions, value addition, and strong market linkages in improving farmers’ income and promoting agri-entrepreneurship. He also encouraged participants to adopt innovative cultivation practices and make use of CSIR-CIMAP technologies.
During the session, Dr. Prabodh Kumar Trivedi, Outstanding Scientist, CSIR and former Director of CSIR-CIMAP, spoke about the institute’s significant contribution to boosting the Indian economy through close collaboration with farmers, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders.
Training Coordinator Dr. Sanjay Kumar presented a detailed overview of the programme, outlining technical sessions, field visits, and hands-on demonstrations designed to provide participants with practical and comprehensive exposure.
Earlier, Dr. R.K. Srivastava highlighted the institute’s business development initiatives and explained how participants could benefit from commercialization opportunities, startup support, and market-oriented approaches.
The programme was effectively coordinated by Dr. Rushikesh N. Bhise, while the vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. R.S. Sharma.
During the technical sessions, participants were introduced to CSIR-CIMAP’s activities and advanced agro-technologies related to crops such as lemongrass, rose, patchouli, citronella, mentha, and tulsi, along with value-addition processes and distillation techniques.
The training programme aims to equip participants with scientific knowledge, practical skills, and entrepreneurial insights to encourage large-scale adoption of medicinal and aromatic crops across the country.
