The CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu, successfully conducted an awareness program under Aroma Mission Phase III on 16 September, 2025, at Pali Village, Block Dugri and District Pithorgarh, Uttarakhand. The program was designed to educate and empower farmers with practical knowledge and advanced skills for cultivating aromatic plants, known for their significant economic and environmental benefits.

More than 30 members actively participated in the program. The central focus of this training was to spread awareness about the advantages of cultivating and processing medicinal and aromatic crops such as rosemary, lavender, and other high-value plants. The resource persons emphasized how these crops, when promoted systematically, can open up new opportunities for rural entrepreneurship, strengthen the local economy, and link farmers with growing domestic and international markets. Detailed discussions were held on the agro-climatic suitability of these crops in hilly regions, their commercial demand, and the ways in which they can significantly improve the livelihoods of farming families.

In addition to technical aspects, the training aimed at empowering farmers with the necessary knowledge of ongoing schemes and initiatives under the Aroma Mission. By equipping local representatives with this understanding, the program sought to enable them to disseminate accurate information among farmers. This approach is expected to help farmers adopt scientific cultivation practices, access market linkages, and take informed decisions, thereby ensuring effective grassroots-level implementation of the mission’s objectives.