STATE TIMES NEWS
Bhadarwah: CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Ministry of Science and Technology on Tuesday organised an Interactive Workshop on Challenges, Interventions and Opportunities for the farmers of Bhadarwah under CSIR Floriculture Mission at Bhadarwah on Tuesday.
The workshop in which 100 farmers associated with cultivation of commercial flowers participated was held at Lal-Ded Auditorium of Bhadarwah Campus and was primarily aimed at Capacity Building, value addition and Post-Harvest Management of High-Value Floricultural Crops as a part of CSIR Floriculture Mission.
Chief Guest DDC Chairman Doda Dhananter Singh Kotwal along with guests of honour Vice Chairperson Sangeeta Bhagat and DC Doda Vishesh Paul Mahajan inaugurated the workshop by lighting of traditional lamps.
In his inaugural address Dr Shahid Rasool Mian-Khel Nodal Scientist CSIR Floriculture Mission said that to fulfill the clarion call of Prime Minister to double the income of Farmers, CSIR-IIIM under it’s Floriculture Mission has organised the workshop at Bhadarwah-which has immense potential in Floriculture, especially cut flowers and aromatic plants.
“The verticals of the mission that include the development of new floral varieties; expansion of areas under region-specific floricultural crops; integration of apiculture and floriculture and establishing effective domestic and international market linkage,” Dr Shahid said.
“Owing to the high demand of cut flowers and loose flowers all across the county, the mission with its various strategically devised verticals offers a unique opportunity in enhancing the economy and livelihood of the UT especially areas like Bhadarwah Valley,” he added. The technical session of the programme, Dr Iqra Farooq, Project Associate, CSIR-Floriculture Mission gave a detailed presentation on agrotechnologies of protected and open cultivated commercial cut floricultural crops.
DC Doda Vishesh Paul Mahajan while addressing the farmers said, “Let us take the pledge today to make Bhadarwah a shinning success story in the field of Floriculture as we have already proved by successfully cultivating aromatic plants and this Valley in a short span of time has emerged as the capital of lavender in India.”