National Productivity Council (NPC), New Delhi Organizes Stakeholders Consultation Workshop on Impact Assessment of CSIR-AROMA MISSION at CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow
Lucknow: National Productivity Council(NPC), New Delhi successfully organized a “Stakeholders Consultation Workshop” today under the Impact Assessment Study of CSIR-AROMA MISSION at Sugandh Sandesh Sabhagar, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Lucknow. The event brought together 50 participants, comprising key stakeholders, scientists, nodal officers, and officials, to evaluate the progress and efficacy of aroma-based technologies.
The workshop commenced with registration, followed by a welcome address by Shri S.P. Singh, Director & GH (Agribusiness), National Productivity Council, and an inaugural address by Dr. Prabodh Kumar Trivedi, Director of CSIR-CIMAP, who set the tone for a day of critical assessment and collaborative dialogue. Addressing the gathering, Dr. Prabodh Kumar Trivedi, Director, CSIR-CIMAP, emphasized that the suggestions and critical observations emerging from the impact assessment study would be incorporated to make the mission more effective in its next phase.
The session featured a detailed presentation on the findings of the impact assessment study by Shri Sunil Kumar Singh, Director (Agribusiness), NPC and Dr. Bajrang Lal, Deputy Director (Agribusiness), NPC, followed by a technical session on aroma-based technology development led by Dr. Sanjay Kumar. The workshop facilitated a robust exchange of ideas, incorporating perspectives from leading farmers, industry associations, and distillation unit owners on the implementation of AROMA MISSION.
The workshop addressed critical challenges including lack of scientific knowledge, crop management, technology upgradation, market access, pricing issues, middlemen, transportation, and storage. Solutions discussed included developing robust post-harvest management mechanisms, processing and storage facilities for essential oils, buy-back arrangements, the CSIR-Aroma Mobile App for real-time price updates, and technology upgradation through subsidized machinery under government convergence schemes.
CSIR-CIMAP also showcased its innovative technology for converting distilled vetiver roots into high-value activated biochar. The technology, developed by Dr. Puja Khare, Dr. Sudeep Tandon and team, has been transferred to M/S Scented Ruuts, Salem, Tamil Nadu.
In a significant development, Geranium var. CIM-Bharat oil and Mentha Piperita var. Kukrail oil were sold through the CIMAP platform to Yathawat Industry. Shri Birendar, a farmer from Raebareli, directly sold his produce to the industry, highlighting successful market linkage under the Aroma Mission.
The event concluded with concluding remarks by Dr. Alok Kalra (Fellow NASI) and an open house discussion, highlighting the collective efforts of NPC National Productivity Council, New Delhi and CSIR-CIMAP towards enhancing the mission’s impact.
