Kupwara| July, 20:Regional Cum Facilitation Centre, Northern Region-II (RCFC NR-II), National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, SKUAST-K, on Monday organized a Training-cum-Awareness Programme on “Opportunities in Cultivation of Medicinal Plants of Kashmir Valley” at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kupwara.
The programme aimed to promote the 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.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. (Dr.) G.M. Bhat, Head, KVK Kupwara, highlighted the importance of medicinal plants in ensuring livelihood security and emphasized their immense potential for commercial cultivation both as sole crops and intercrops.
Dr. Sofi Imtiyaz Ali, Project Manager, RCFC NR-II, delivered a detailed lecture on conservation strategies, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), market linkages and value addition of commercially important medicinal plants of the region. He stressed the need to shift from unsustainable wild harvesting to scientific cultivation in farmers’ fields to reduce pressure on natural habitats.
He also highlighted the prevailing market demand and price trends of key medicinal plants and underscored the vast potential for medicinal plant-based enterprises in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. He further outlined the ongoing initiatives of RCFC NR-II to promote conservation, cultivation and commercialization of medicinal plants across the region.
Addressing the participants, Er. Falak Jan, Technical Officer, RCFC NR-II, spoke on value addition and entrepreneurship development, encouraging farmers, youth and aspiring entrepreneurs to explore medicinal plant cultivation as a viable source of income and self-employment.
The programme witnessed enthusiastic participation from farmers, aspiring entrepreneurs, youth and other stakeholders, besides scientists and technical staff from KVK Kupwara and the RCFC NR-II team.
The programme concluded with an appeal to participants to adopt scientific cultivation practices, explore entrepreneurial opportunities in the medicinal plants sector, and make effective use of the technical guidance and institutional support provided by RCFC NR-II to build sustainable livelihoods.
