Strategies and Challenges in Mentha Crop Intervention against Blue Bull for Enhancing the Farmer Income

Abstract

Improving farmer’s income through technological intervention is the urgent need in rural areas for making self-dependence and economic sufficiency. In this direction, a number of scientist farmers interaction meets were organized in KVK, Aurangabad. Farmers farm women, rural youth and girls enthusiastically participated in these programs like on campus farming off-campus training, kisan chaupal, kissan gosthi etc. raised several questions related to some their fruit and vegetables production against blue bull for income generation. Wide awareness and community participation is the need of the hour for the rational utilization and better conservation strategies of medicinal & aromatic plants. Medicinal cultivation is the emerging sector in agriculture diversification that would augment the income of small holders and generate employment opportunities in rural areas. It was felt that low marketing surplus of small landholders requires formation of co-operative groups for a contract for men with Patanjali/other agencies to help them to generate more income. Use of medicinal & aromatic plants may be available in our surroundings but due to lack of awareness, we never take care to collect, conserve and evaluate such precious materials. In addition, a holistic approach is required to manage the rich heritage of medicinal and aromatic plant with available in Bihar. The potential of medicinal & aromatic cultivation has been realized lately. There are many options available for farmers of all income and land holding groups to take up are or the other activity in medicinal and aromatic cultivation.