CSIR Award for Science and Technological Innovations for Rural Development (CAIRD) for the year 2010 was received by DRDO's scientist Dr R B Srivastava and its Chief Controller, Research and Development Dr W Selvamurthy.
"DIHAR has identified varieties and developed agro- practices of 78 types of vegetables and 30 types of high altitude medicinal and aromatic plants to boost local production in cold desert region of Ladakh," DRDO sokesperson said.
It has also brought qualitative and quantitative changes in agriculture, animal husbandry and cold desert flora of Ladakh, he added.
Seabuckthorn is one of the agri products successfully developed and commercialized by the DIHAR, which had no commercial value till 2001.
"However, after setting up the first seabuckthorn processing unit in Leh, seabuckthorn collection is taken as an important activity and additional source of income for farmers," the spokesperson said.
Highlighting the impact of DIHAR in Ladakh, he said it has helped enhance the availability of fresh foods such as vegetables, fruits, milk, meat, eggs, supplementary herbal products and medicinal and aromatic plants to both local population and defence forces.