HT Correspondent
JORHAT, July 27: The Rain Forest Research Institute (RFRI), an institution under the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), organised a comprehensive three-day skill development training on agarwood cultivation and artificial inoculation from July 24 to 26 at Sotai.
The training program witnessed enthusiastic participation from six individuals representing four states, namely Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, and Assam. Dr RK Borah, the director of RFRI, Jorhat, warmly welcomed the participants and inaugurated the event.
During the technical session on ‘Agarwood: Its Importance, Nursery, and Cultivation Management,’ Dr RK Borah covered various vital aspects related to agarwood cultivation. The topics ranged from artificial induction of agarwood to the legal requirements for cultivation and the export of agarwood.
A hands-on session on artificial inoculation was conducted, allowing trainees to gain practical experience under the guidance of Kajal Gupta, Sumona Chetia, and Gurpreet Kaur. Additionally, the participants were taken on a field visit to Naharani in Golaghat district, where they observed agar plantations, a distillation unit, and product diversification.
As part of the training program, Dr Sofia Banu, an assistant professor at Gauhati University, delivered a talk on ‘Agarwood Oil Analysis by Modern Technologies,’ providing valuable insights into the latest analytical approaches in this domain.
The skill development training aimed to enhance knowledge and expertise in agarwood cultivation, contributing to the sustainable management and utilization of this valuable resource.
