HORTICULTURE

Horticulture is a very important branch of agriculture which deals with all the high value crops such as fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, spices, plantation crops and herbs, all of which have immense potentials to address the most significant current global and regional challenges, such as, can contribute to provide essential nutrients for food and nutrition security and reduce poverty by earning foreign currencies. Geographically, South Asia has extremely diverse agro-climatic conditions which provide an ideal environment for cultivation of a wide range of horticultural crops. Moreover, SAARC countries have abundant availability of indigenous of fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices, plantation crops and herbs many of which are known for their therapeutical/medicinal and nutritive value and excellent flavour and colour. The demand for such produce is likely to increase in the international market both in fresh and processed form. Fortunately, the SAARC region is being bestowed with suitable climatic conditions required to grow a wide range of horticultural crops hence, by proper nurturing of this sub sector of agriculture, the region can be the global hub for vegetables and fruits production in near future. As SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC has the mandate to promote agriculture in the region by taking appropriate action and policy, it can trigger the agricultural transformation process by boosting horticultural programs in the region. As the demand for high value crops is increasing in the global market, therefore, by reforming regional market and linking it to global market SAC can contribute to secure livelihood of farmers as Horticultural crops can provide higher return from the unit area of land.