A meeting on exploring medicinal and aromatic plant potential in Ladakh was convened by Commissioner/Secretary, Agriculture, Ladakh, Rigzin Sampheal with the team of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) on November 25. 

The team of CSIR headed by Director Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) Jammu, Dr. D. Srinivasa Reddy is on a three-day visit to Ladakh in connection with the different initiatives. CSIR aspires to initiate in various areas of agriculture, horticulture, medicine, and other related fields.  
 
Rigzin Sampheal welcomed the concept of the team and talked about diverse medicinal and aromatic possibilities hidden in the wilderness of Ladakh. He informed the team of researchers to deliberate on the areas that would help in generating income for the grass-root farmers.

He also added that despite the short summer season with harsh cold winters, nature has gifted Ladakh with some rare plants that can be useful in many fields. Careful and detailed research would help in yielding desired results, he added. 

The meeting also deliberated in detail upon various aspects of green-houses and seabuckthorn among others.
 
The team of CSIR includes Head Business Development & Project Monitoring & Evaluation, Er. Abdul Rahim; Head Engineering, Dr. Zabeer Ahmad, and Sr. Scientist Agrotechnology &Genetic Resources, Dr. Shahid Rasool. A progressive farmer of Chuchot, Zubir Ahmed was also present in the meeting.