Group Meeting of AICRP on medicinal & Aromatic Plants and Betelvine
Organised20th September, 2014, Benagaluru
The XXII Annual Group Meeting of the All India Coordinated Research Project on Medicinal & Aromatic Plants and Betelvine (AICRP-MAP&B) was organized at ICAR- Indian Institute Horticultural Research (ICAR-IIHR), Benagaluru during September 17-20, 2014. The meeting was inaugurated by Dr. S.K. Malhotra, Assistant Director General (Horticultural Science), ICAR. Dr. M.L. Maheshwar, Vice Chancellor, University of Horticultural Sciences (UHS), Bagalkot was the Chief Guest.
Dr. Malhotra, in his inaugural address, highlighted the importance of medicinal and aromatic plants for horticulture diversification and primary healthcare. He appreciated the achievements of the project and suggested the need of midterm review for the achievement of targeted activities.
Dr. Maheshwar emphasized the importance of post harvest processing and value addition of medicinal and aromatic crops with intensified encouragement under various developmental schemes for their promotion.
Padma Shree Dr. Darshan Shanker, Chairman, Institute of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine (I-AIM), Bengaluru, in his keynote address, emphasized the relevance of combination of traditional knowledge with modern science for making global impact of the medicinal plants.
Dr. S.B. Dandin, Ex-Vice Chancellor, UHS, Bagalkot, in his address, highlighted the need for strong linkages between researchers, growers and processors for the economic use of medicinal plants. He opined the need for better utilization of tribal sub plan (TSP) in the AICRP mode for documentation of traditional knowledge on medicinal plants.
The Plenary Session of the workshop was chaired by Dr. N.K. Krishna Kumar, Deputy Director General (Horticulture Science), ICAR. He emphasized the need for prioritization of research on medicinal and aromatic crops in accordance with the emerging issues in this sector.
Earlier, Dr. T. Manjunatha Rao, Director (Acting), ICAR-IIHR, Benagaluru welcomed the Chief Guest and other dignitaries. Dr. Jitendra Kumar, Director, ICAR-Directorate of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research (DMAPR), Anand and Project Co-ordinator, AICRP-MAP&B, Gujarat presented the salient achievements and prospective research activities of the 22 AICRP-MAP&B centres located across the country.
Research achievements and future technical programme were reviewed in the technical sessions. An exhibition showcasing the technologies developed from ICAR-IIHR, AICRP- MAP&B centres and state agricultural universities was also organised. A scientist-farmer interaction and field visit were also organised. More than 150 researchers, academicians, entrepreneurs, farmers and policy makers were also participated in the meeting.
(Source: DMAPR, Anand)
