In view of the seriousness and magnitude of the threat posed by an alien invasive weed Parthenium, ICAR-Directorate of Weed Research (DWR), Jabalpur organized a country-wide “Parthenium Awareness Week (PAW)” campaign from 16-22 August, 20121 to make people aware of its ill effects and management options. Posters containing the message and appeal made by Dr. T. Mohapatra, Secretary, DARE and DG, ICAR to keep the Institute’s campuses “Parthenium Free” along with extension folders was also sent to all the VCs of the State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) and many other Universities under UGC, Directors of ICAR institutes, Principal investigator of AICRP-Weed Management centers, Heads of regional stations, all the KVKs in the country, municipalities of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, school and colleges of Jabalpur and surrounding villages, District Panchayat Presidents of Uttar Pradesh, NGOs, Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education and its institutes, Principal Chief Conservator of forests of all the states etc. through e-mails, WhatsApp and uploaded on DWR Website, Facebook and Twitter.

Seven no. of webinars on Parthenium management were organized by DWR in collaboration with other organizations in the country in which more than 1500 people participated. All such programmes were also covered by print and electronic media, which further helped to disseminate the message in public. One international Webinar was organized by ICAR-DWR in collaboration of Indian Society of Weed Science on 16th August, 2021 which was graced by Dr. S.K. Chaudhari, DDG (NRM) as the Chief Guest and Dr. S. Bhaskar, ADG (A,AF&CC), ICAR as Guest of Honour. The Keynote lecture was given by one of the renowned weed scientist Dr. Steve W. Adkins from Queensland University, Australia. ICAR-DWR also organized one Live programme on Parthenium in association with Reliance Foundation on 18th August, 2021 and a training programme on “Integrated Parthenium Management’ on 19 August, 2021, wherein more than 236 and 300 stakeholders participated, respectively.

Such awareness activities attracted print and electronic media to publish news and telecast on different news channels. It was estimated that more than one million people have been made aware under this campaign through direct interactions and print & electronic media.