GANDERBAL, JULY 29: The Regional Cum Facilitation Centre, Northern Region-II (RCFC NR-II), National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, SKUAST-K, organized a Training-cum-Awareness Programme on “Opportunities in Cultivation of Medicinal Plants of Kashmir Valley,” with special focus on Inula racemosa (Pushkarmool), at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Ganderbal.
The programme aimed at promoting scientific cultivation, conservation, and commercialization of high-value medicinal plants native to the Kashmir Valley, while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for farmers, youth, and other stakeholders.
On the occasion, Dr. Ajaz Ahmed Malik, Head, KVK Ganderbal, highlighted the significance of medicinal plants in ensuring livelihood security and emphasized their potential for commercial cultivation. He specifically underlined the promise of Inula racemosa as a high-value medicinal crop suited to the agro-climatic conditions of Ganderbal, given its established demand in the herbal and pharmaceutical trade.
Dr. Sofi Imtiyaz Ali, Project Manager, RCFC NR-II, delivered a detailed lecture on conservation strategies, package of practices, market linkages, and value addition of commercially important medicinal plants of the region, with special emphasis on Inula racemosa. He emphasized the urgent need to shift from the unsustainable wild harvesting of medicinal plant species such as Inula racemosa to their ex-situ cultivation, thereby mitigating anthropogenic pressure on natural habitats and conserving the genetic diversity of wild populations of the species.
He further highlighted prevailing market demand trends and price dynamics of key medicinal plants, including Inula racemosa, and underlined the vast potential for medicinal plant-based enterprises in the region. He outlined the ongoing initiatives of RCFC NR-II aimed at promoting the conservation, cultivation, and commercialization of medicinal plantsacross Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. His address focused on value addition and entrepreneurship development and encouraged stakeholders to explore these opportunities for income generation and self-employment.
The programme witnessed enthusiastic participation from farmers, entrepreneurs, youth, and other stakeholders, along with scientists and technical staff from KVK Ganderbal and the RCFC NR-II team.
The event concluded with an appeal to participants to adopt scientific cultivation practices for medicinal plants, explore entrepreneurial avenues in the medicinal plants sector, and utilize the technical guidance and institutional support provided by RCFC NR-II for building sustainable livelihoods.
