KANNAUJ, 3 Mar: An 18-member team of scientists and technical personnel of Kimin-based DBT-APSCS&T Centre of Excellence for Bioresources and Sustainable Development, and eight farmers and entrepreneurs are attending a 12-day training programme at the Fragrance and Flavour Development Centre (FFDC) here in Uttar Pradesh.
Led by Project Director Dr Debajit Mahanta, the team includes eight farmers selected from Kimin, Namsai and Pasighat, who are participating in a comprehensive training programme on ‘cultivation of aroma crops, extraction of essential oil, fragrance and flavour development and market, industry linkages’ from 2 March.
“The main objective of the centre is to serve, sustain and upgrade the status of farmers and the industry engaged in aromatic cultivation and its processing to make them competitive both in the local as well as global market,” it said.
Inaugurating the training programme on 2 March, FFDC Principal Director Dr SV Shukla briefed about the centre and the objectives of the training programme. He said that the aroma sector has immense potential in the Northeast region, especially in Arunachal Pradesh, due to its diverse climatic conditions which can support the cultivation of various exotic aroma crops.
He also emphasized on the scope of developing a perfumery industry in the Northeast.
Dr Mahanta informed that the programme is a part of the “union biotechnology department-sponsored programme of the CoE, Kimin for cultivation and processing of aroma crops in selected districts of Arunachal Pradesh towards entrepreneurship development in the state.”
The comprehensive hands-on training programme includes cultivation techniques of aromatic plants, extraction, value addition, quality assessment of essential oils, fragrance and flavour creation and aromatherapy.
After completing the training at the FFDC, the team from DBT-APSCS&T CoE, Kimin will visit the Institute of Horticulture Technology (IHT) in Greater Noida from 13 to 14 March to obtain firsthand experience in cultivation, propagation and conservation techniques of aroma, medicinal and other plant species.
