Three-Day Capacity Building Programme on Commercial Floriculture Inaugurated at SKUAST-K

Srinagar| Sept, 28: A three-day Capacity Building and Training Programme on Commercial Floriculture was inaugurated today at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) to enhance the knowledge and skills of farmers in scientific and commercial floriculture.
The programme is being organised by the Directorate of Extension, SKUAST-K, in collaboration with the DAO (Inputs), Ganderbal, for 30 farmers from District Ganderbal from September 28 to 30, 2026, under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) 2026–27, as part of the project “Promotion of Commercial Floriculture (P-14).”
The programme is being conducted under the guidance of Prof. Raihana Habib Kanth, Director Extension, SKUAST-K.
Prof. Dr. Sher Ahmad Dar, Associate Director Extension (Agri.), SKUAST-K, was the Chief Guest at the inaugural session. Addressing the participants, he emphasised the importance of capacity building and adoption of modern technologies in floriculture. He highlighted the potential of commercial floriculture as an avenue for crop diversification, income enhancement and development of entrepreneurial opportunities for farmers.
Dr. Qazi Altaf Hussain, Professor, Chief Scientist and Head, Division of Floriculture and Landscaping, SKUAST-K, provided technical insights into commercial floriculture and highlighted the importance of scientific production practices, improved varieties and protected cultivation technologies for establishing floriculture as a viable and profitable farm enterprise.
The three-day training programme covers various aspects of commercial floriculture, including selection of suitable flower crops and varieties, nursery raising, production technologies, protected cultivation, nutrient and pest management, post-harvest handling, value addition and marketing.
The programme also includes technical lectures, practical demonstrations and interactive sessions, providing participating farmers with practical exposure to modern floriculture technologies and enterprise development opportunities.
The initiative is expected to equip participating farmers with knowledge and practical skills for adopting commercial floriculture practices, while enabling them to explore opportunities in value addition, marketing and income generation.