Scent of Opportunity: CSIR-IHBT Brings Aroma Mission to Tripura
From January 4 to 6, 2026, a team from the CSIR–Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, visited Tripura to strengthen the CSIR-Aroma Mission Phase III and explore new collaborations with local institutions.
The delegation met with officials and faculty from Tripura University and the NB Institute for Rural Technology (NBIRT), West Tripura, sharing farmer-friendly technologies developed at CSIR-IHBT. Discussions focused on how these innovations could be implemented in Tripura through joint efforts involving state departments, universities, and grassroots organizations.
To spread awareness, training programmes on advanced agro-technologies and processing methods for aromatic crops were organized. More than 60 farmers, state officials, scholars, and scientists participated enthusiastically, reflecting the growing interest in aromatic and medicinal plants as alternative income-generating options in the region.
Dr. Sudesh Kumar Yadav, Director of CSIR-IHBT, highlighted Tripura’s immense potential for aromatic crops, thanks to its humid tropical climate, abundant rainfall, and fertile soils. He noted that CSIR-IHBT has already signed an MoU with Tripura University to promote aromatic plants under Aroma Mission Phase III. “Through this collaboration, we aim to enhance farmers’ income by introducing suitable aromatic crops along with improved cultivation and processing technologies,” he said. Crops such as citronella, lemongrass, palmarosa, patchouli, and basil were identified as particularly well-suited to Tripura’s agro-climatic conditions, with the potential to strengthen the rural economy.
Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Chief Scientist and Co-Nodal of the Aroma Mission, emphasized the importance of adopting scientifically validated planting material, improved agronomic practices, and on-farm distillation technologies. These, he explained, could significantly boost both yield and quality of essential oils, offering farmers—especially those in rainfed and marginal areas—a sustainable path to higher incomes.
The visit marked a significant step in deepening CSIR-IHBT’s engagement in the North Eastern region, reinforcing the mission’s goals of sustainable cultivation, value addition, and entrepreneurship development in aromatic crops tailored to local conditions.
