In response to climate change and drought prevention, many farmers in Jammu and Kashmir (India) have switched from growing corn to lavender. Many farmers in Jammu and Kashmir (India) have switched from growing corn to growing lavender.
Every late June, the fields in the village of Lehrote in Doda in Jammu are filled with purple hues with the rich scent of lavender. More than 200 farmers in this village have switched from growing corn to growing lavender, launching a “purple revolution” in the region.
Lavender fields in a village in northern India are filled with purple. Photo: the Guardian According to the Guardian, the village of Lehrote became famous when a farmer named Bharat Bhushan – 43 years old, won the prestigious award for innovation in the field of farming from the Indian Institute of Agricultural Research. This is one of the organizations promoting the campaign to deal with climate change and its impact on the agricultural sector. Lavender is a good drought tolerant plant that can grow and grow on poor soil, does not need a lot of water and loves the sun. “I started growing lavender in 2010 during the Indian Institute of Integrated Medicine campaign in Jammu. This is a very easy plant and doesn’t need a lot of watering. I only use cow manure to fertilize the plant.” Mr. Bharat Bhushan shared. According to Bharat Bhushan, there are more than 500 farmers in this area growing lavender. He also prepared two nurseries for breeding this flower. From now on, this village has become an area specializing in growing and distilling lavender. Domestic demand for lavender essential oil remains quite high and growers like Bharat Bhushan often sell the distilled essential oil directly to customers in cities in India such as Mumbai and Delhi. “The easy-to-grow nature of lavender makes it popular with farmers. The income from lavender cultivation is much better than from other crops like corn. One hectare of lavender land has. can help farmers get 30-45 liters of essential oil, “said senior scientist Sumeet Gairola. Recently, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) announced the expansion of the “Fragrant Mission” campaign with the participation of farmers from northern Indian states such as Uttarakhand, Nagaland and Asam. Thus, fields of flowers filled with purple hues are likely to soon become a popular sight across India.
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