‘Become job creators, not job seekers’
Srinagar, Mar 22: The seven-day Advanced Entrepreneurship Skill Development Programme focused on “Crop Diversification through Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Rainfed Areas for Doubling Farmers’ Income” concluded today at the CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Branch Lab, Srinagar.
The program aimed to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with knowledge and skills to explore crop diversification through medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) and enhance income through innovative agricultural practices.
Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director of CSIR-IIIM Jammu, presided over the valedictory function, congratulating participants on completing the program. In his address, Dr. Ahmed highlighted entrepreneurship’s critical role in today’s economy, urging participants to pursue startups rather than wait for government jobs. “Become job creators, not job seekers,” he advised while sharing insights about agri-startups and encouraging collaboration with CSIR-IIIM through its incubation centers. Dr. Ahmed emphasized promoting crop diversification to boost farmers’ income, particularly through medicinal and aromatic plants.
The program featured lectures, interactive sessions, and success stories from experts, banking institutions, government officers, and successful entrepreneurs. Participants expressed satisfaction with the training, especially valuing interactions with successful business entrepreneurs in aromatic and medicinal plants, mushroom cultivation, apiculture, waste-to-energy, and other allied sectors.
Dr Nasir-Ul-Rashid, program coordinator, provided details about the weeklong event:
Day 1 began with an inaugural session followed by Dr. O.P. Sharma, IFS (Retd. PCCF), delivering a keynote address on “Forests & Food through Traditions & Techniques,” along with discussions on MAP marketing strategies.
Day 2 focused on marketing opportunities for MAPs, cultivation scope, and high-value aromatic plants, with successful entrepreneurs sharing their experiences.
Day 3 featured lectures on mushroom cultivation, value addition, entrepreneurship development, medicinal plant cultivation in Ladakh, and financial inclusion.
Day 4 was dedicated to beekeeping, processing, value addition, propagation of high-value MAPs through tissue culture, and R&D in MAPs.
Day 5 explored business opportunities in agro-energy, waste management, biomass production, and new biomass conversion technologies.
Day 6 included field visits to successful business enterprises in aromatic and medicinal plants, mushroom cultivation, and honey production to understand their business models.
On the final day, Dr GS Naqash, Former Director of Floriculture and Horticulture, shared entrepreneurship tips for agriculture and allied sectors, highlighting how crop diversification has fostered new startups and entrepreneurs.
