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News: The Union Government and Nagaland discussed expanding lavender cultivation and agri-entrepreneurship under the CSIR Aroma Mission across the State.
About Lavender Cultivation
- Lavender is a small, perennial aromatic herb shrub of the mint family (Lamiaceae), that is mainly grown for its flowers and essential oil.
- It was introduced in the temperate regions of Jammu & Kashmir under the CSIR Aroma Mission.
- Key Aspects:
- Climate: Lavender grows in temperate areas and is a drought-resistant crop.
- Life Cycle: A single lavender plant bears flowers for up to 15 years, requires minimal maintenance, and can be harvested from the second year onward.
- Propagation: Lavender can be propagated through seeds, rooted cuttings, tissue culture, and layering.
- Applications: Lavender is used for food and flavouring, pharmaceutical and therapeutic, cosmetic, and industrial purposes.
- Distribution in India
- Lavender cultivation is practiced in almost all the 20 districts of Jammu & Kashmir.
- The successful model has also expanded to Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Nagaland through the CSIR Aroma Mission.
About Aroma Mission
- Launched by: The Union Ministry of Science & Technology launched the Purple or Lavender Revolution in 2016 through the CSIR Aroma Mission.
- Led by: The mission is led by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), with CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Lucknow, as the nodal laboratory.
- Also Known As: The initiative is also known as the Purple or Lavender Revolution.
- Aim: The mission aims to support a domestic aromatic crop-based agro economy by promoting homegrown aromatic oils and transforming the aroma sector through agriculture, processing and product development.
- Key Features:
- Farmer Support: The mission provides free quality lavender planting material to first-time farmers and supports the cultivation of aromatic crops.
- Value Chain Development: The mission promotes agriculture, processing, product development, technology support, skill development, and market linkages to strengthen the aroma sector and rural employment.
- Phased Implementation: The mission has been implemented in two phases—Phase-I and Phase-II, with Phase-II launched on 9 February 2021.
