What if the fields of rural India could smell of opportunity? That vision took a concrete step forward as SLRD Director General Abhijit Sharma, accompanied by Advisor Shyamendra Singh of the School of Livelihood and Rural Development (SLRD), visited the CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP) to explore a partnership built around aromatic plant cultivation, essential oil production, and sustainable rural enterprise.
The delegation held in-depth discussions with Dr. P. K. Trivedi, Director, CSIR-CIMAP, and Dr. S. K. Srivastava, Director, CSIR-CIMAP, centered on a shared goal: putting more value—and more income—directly into farmers’ hands at the grassroots level.
The talks ended on a promising note. CSIR-CIMAP agreed to collaborate with SLRD on projects spanning aromatic crop cultivation and the setup of essential oil processing units—the kind of ventures that can transform a single harvest into a thriving local enterprise. The collaboration is designed to create replicable rural business models and open new livelihood pathways, especially in regions where SLRD already works hand-in-hand with farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and community institutions.
Beyond income, the initiative carries an environmental promise. By championing high-value aromatic crops and strengthening local essential oil value chains, the partnership aims to advance climate-resilient agriculture—proving that what’s good for farmers can also be good for the planet. The formula is simple but powerful: scientific expertise meets grassroots execution, with long-term socio-economic upliftment as the goal.
The SLRD team also paid tribute to the scientists and researchers of CSIR-CIMAP for their pioneering role in shaping India’s aromatic plants sector. That work earned national acclaim with the prestigious Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025, awarded to the CSIR Aroma Mission Team led by CSIR-CIMAP and presented by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan—a fitting recognition of their impact on both science and rural livelihoods. Looking ahead, SLRD reaffirmed its commitment to forging a lasting partnership with CSIR-CIMAP—one that grows aromatic plant-based livelihoods, fortifies essential oil value chains, promotes sustainable farming, and drives climate-resilient rural enterprise across every community it serves.
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