Srinagar, March 22, 2025 – The seven-day Advanced Entrepreneurship Skill Development Program on “Crop Diversification through Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Rainfed Areas for Doubling Farmers’ Income” successfully concluded at the CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Branch Lab Srinagar.
The program aimed to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with the necessary knowledge and skills to explore crop diversification, particularly through medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), and enhance their income through innovative agricultural practices.
Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director CSIR-IIIM Jammu, presided over the valedictory session, congratulating the participants and urging them to pursue entrepreneurship instead of relying on government jobs. He emphasized the potential of agri-startups, incubation centers, and crop diversification in significantly increasing farmers’ income.
The week-long training included expert lectures, interactive sessions, and success stories from seasoned entrepreneurs, banking institutions, and government officials. Participants gained insights into marketing MAPs, mushroom cultivation, beekeeping, agro-energy, waste management, and biomass production.
During the program, successful business entrepreneurs shared their experiences, and field visits were conducted to provide hands-on exposure to honey growers, mushroom cultivators, and aromatic plant enterprises.
On the final day, Dr. G.S. Naqash, Former Director of Floriculture and Horticulture, and Dr. Sartaj Shah, Joint Director Agriculture Department, interacted with participants, highlighting government initiatives like the Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP).
The event saw the participation of scientific and administrative staff, scholars, and dignitaries. A total of 24 trainees from different parts of the country successfully completed the program and were awarded certificates by Dr. Zabeer Ahmed.
Participants lauded the initiative, particularly appreciating the practical exposure and interactions with successful entrepreneurs, expressing confidence in applying their learnings to boost agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship in India.