The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has initiated an assessment of a proposal to establish a dedicated National Sanjeevani Research Centre for Sea Buckthorn in Ladakh’s Nubra Valley, in a move aimed at turning the high-altitude crop’s medicinal, nutritional and commercial potential into a larger source of scientific research and rural livelihoods.
The proposal was submitted by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena to Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on August 14. Following the request, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) constituted a high-level committee on August 21 to examine the feasibility of the proposed centre and recommend an appropriate institutional framework.
The committee is headed by Dr V.B. Patel, Additional Director General, ICAR, and includes Maheshwar Singh, Dean (Agriculture), University of Ladakh; Tsering Stobdan, Scientist-F, DRDO, Leh; and Tsewang Punchok, Director of Horticulture in the Ladakh administration.
The panel conducted its first field visit to Ladakh on August 24. It has been tasked with assessing the region’s Sea Buckthorn genetic resources, natural distribution, cultivation, production, utilisation and ongoing research.
The committee has also been asked to prepare a comprehensive feasibility report and a five-year action plan within 45 days, covering the proposed centre’s institutional structure, infrastructure, research priorities and mechanisms for value addition and commercialisation.
Nubra Valley, recognised as Ladakh’s largest Sea Buckthorn-producing region, has emerged as the proposed location for the centre. The initiative seeks to shift the sector from dependence on wild collection towards scientific cultivation, improved processing, value addition and organised market development.
Known locally as a “Wonder Plant” and popularly described as “Sanjeevani”, Sea Buckthorn is a naturally occurring Himalayan plant with applications in food, cosmetics, nutraceuticals and other products. Its berries are known for their nutritional content and antioxidant properties.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has previously highlighted the plant’s potential during his Mann Ki Baat programme, referring to its importance for Ladakh and its medicinal and nutritional value.
Welcoming the development, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena said the proposed centre could provide a national platform for research, development, value addition and commercialisation of Sea Buckthorn.
“Glad to share that on our request, the Union Agriculture Ministry has constituted a High-Level Committee to examine setting up of a dedicated National Sanjeevani Research Centre at Nubra in Ladakh, for research, development, value addition and commercialisation of the high-value organic and medicinal Himalayan crop, Sea Buckthorn,” Saxena said.
He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognising the medicinal and nutritional potential of Ladakh’s Sea Buckthorn and thanked Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for acting on his request and directing the constitution of the committee within a week.
Saxena said Sea Buckthorn is rich in nutrients, including vitamins A, C and E, and contains Omega-3, Omega-6, Omega-9 and Omega-7 fatty acids. He said the crop has significant agricultural and commercial potential.
If approved, the proposed centre could help develop improved cultivation techniques, strengthen processing and storage infrastructure, promote research into medicinal and nutritional applications and create stronger value chains connecting local producers with national and international markets.
Officials, however, have emphasised that commercial development would need to be balanced with ecological conservation. Given Ladakh’s fragile high-altitude environment, scientific cultivation and sustainable harvesting will be critical to ensuring that increased demand does not put additional pressure on naturally occurring Sea Buckthorn resources.
The proposed research centre is therefore being viewed not only as a scientific institution but also as a potential catalyst for rural employment, local enterprise and sustainable economic development in Ladakh.
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