Horticulture has the potential to increase farm incomes

Dr. Sudhakar Pandey, Assistant Director General (Flowers, Vegetables, Spices and Medicinal Plants) at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), recently conducted a review of the All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRP) presently being run at the Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni.

Under the chairmanship of Vice Chancellor Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, the university hosted a meeting attended by coordinators and scientists from various AICRPS, focusing on Vegetables, Spices, Floriculture, and Medicinal Plants which was attended by Dr Pandey. Dr. VP Sharma, Director of the Directorate of Mushroom Research, Solan also attended the meeting.

During the visit, Dr. Sanjeev Chauhan, Director of Research at the university, warmly welcomed Dr. Pandey and provided an overview of ongoing endeavours. Prof. Chandel, emphasized the importance of leveraging horticulture as a catalyst for enhancing farm incomes, urging research initiatives to prioritize the development of innovative technologies conducive to new horticultural enterprises.

In his address to the scientists, Dr. Pandey commended the university's commendable efforts within various AICRPS, highlighting their pivotal role in agricultural advancement. Stressing the imperative of technology generation, Dr. Pandey underscored the potential for transformative impact arising from these research projects.

The visit included insightful field trips to the Floriculture and Vegetable experimental farms, offering first hand exposure to ongoing projects. Dr. Pandey also visited key facilities such as the Floral Craft Lab, Bakery Unit, Incubation Center, and Residue Analysis Lab, further deepening understanding of the university's multifaceted research initiatives