GUWAHATI: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Directorate of Horticulture and Food Processing, Government of Assam, and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)- Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) was formally exchanged on Tuesday, 21, for providing Technical Advisory support for the Pilot Mission on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAP) in Assam.
The pilot mission is for two years under the World Bank Financed Project – Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART).
This Pilot Mission is for the first time in the State under APART and has been initiated with the cultivation of few crops like lemongrass, vetiver, tulsi and patchouli in selected districts, namely Dhemaji, Majuli, Biswanath, Karbi Anglong, Goalpara, Kokrajhar and Dhubri.
The CSIR-CIMAP will support the Directorate of Horticulture and the Agricultural Technology Management Agencies (ATMAs) in the districts to carry out Market-led demonstrations in a cluster mode on the specified crops in the selected districts. They will also support the post-harvest management, processing demonstrations, setting up mini processing plants for the medicinal and aromatic plants, market linkages through buyer-seller meet, training and capacity building of beneficiary farmers, Government and Project Staff.