LAVENDER FESTIVAL
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Context: India’s first 'Lavender Festival' was organised at Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir.
Details
- India’s first National Institute of High Altitude Medicine is being built in Bhaderwah.
- It will generate employment, open research opportunities and promote development for the region.
- Lavender Cultivation has the potential to double farmers' income.
- Lavender cultivation has employed about 5,000 farmers and young entrepreneurs in geographically remote areas of J&K.
- More than 1,000 farming families are cultivating it on more than 200 acres.
Aroma Mission
- Aromatic plants are used as natural medicines because of their medical properties. Aromatic Plants include lavender, damask rose, etc.
- Aromatic plants are mainly used for oil extraction that is used in various industries: Cosmetics, Pesticides, flavouring and fragrance, Insect repellents and herbal beverages.
- The Aroma Mission was started to promote the cultivation of aromatic crops.
- The twin aim of the mission is to increase production to meet domestic demand and also to become a global leader in production and export.
- Technical support from CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Lucknow.
- Government to Promote cooperatives for marketing activities, promotion of cultivation and processing of high-value aromatic plants, development of agro technologies, setting up of processing facilities, promoting Skill development, infrastructure support, Credit facilities, etc.
The expected outcome of the Mission:
- Bring about an additional area of 5500 ha under aromatic crop cultivation.
- Promoting aromatic crops in rain-fed/degraded land across the country.
- Enhance technical and infrastructural support to farmers/growers all over the country.
- Promote market buy-back mechanisms to ensure profitable prices for the farmers/growers.
- This mission also aims to promote Job Creation, Rural Development, and Women empowerment.
- By increasing aromatic crop production, India could take a big step towards achieving the goal of ‘Atmanirbhara Bharat’.