Today, horticulture forms an integral part of food, nutritional and economic security. Adoption of horticulture, both by small and marginal farmers, has brought prosperity in many regions of the country as India is endowed with a wide variety of agro climatic conditions and enjoys an enviable position in the horticultural map of the world. Almost all types of horticultural crops can be grown in one region or the other.

As per released by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, second advance estimates of area and production of various horticultural crops, its production in the country was estimated to be 329.86 million tonnes in the year 2020-21. The production estimates are highest so far and it reflects an increase of 9.39 million tonnes (2.93 percent) in comparison to 2019-20. The production of fruits is estimated to be 102.76 million tonnes in 2020-21 as compared to 102.08 million tonnes achieved in the previous year 2019-20. The production of vegetables, however, is estimated to be 196.27 million tonnes as compared to 188.28 million tonnes in the previous year.

But with shrinking land and scarce natural resources, the path ahead for Indian horticulture should be to diversify into hi-tech horticulture to improve the productivity and quality.

Protected cultivation of horticultural crops offers best choice for diversification in agriculture production for numerous reasons. Production of crops under protected conditions has great potential in augmenting production and quality of vegetables, flowers and some fruit crops in main and off season and maximizing water and nutrient use efficiency under varied agro climatic conditions and peri urban areas in the near future.

We need to train our human resources to cater to the requirements of this developing industry. This vital link of providing trained manpower to the emerging industry requirements in horticulture sector has prompted us to launch an Institute of Horticulture Technology. It is characterized by State-of-the-Art facilities coupled with experienced, and professional faculty to ensure a steady supply of well-trained manpower that are fine tuned to the requirements of the horticulture industry.

The institute envisions capacity building in technology driven horticulture to meet the increasing demands of the fast-developing horticulture industry of the country. Present and prospective entrepreneurs interested in Hi Tech Horticulture like Hydroponics, Aeroponics are increasing day by day. Various MNC’s and other big companies are venturing in Agriculture thus opening a wide space for people to get trained in Hi Tech Horticulture.

Various technologies like high density planting, use of high yielding varieties and hybrids, improved propagation and micro propagation techniques, drip irrigation and fertigation technology, application of good agricultural practices, protected horticulture, integrated pest and weed management and post-harvest management are being used to boost up horticultural production.

Government of Uttar Pradesh has empaneled IHT for Hi Tech Horticultural trainings. The Institute has been conducting trainings under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the holistic growth of the horticulture sector.

Various states those deputed farmers, extension officials and students including Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Nagaland, Mizoram, Odisha. Trainees from abroad were mainly from Tunisia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Sudan, Tajikistan, Palestine, Vietnam, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Bahrain, amongst others in the last 12 years.

I hope the prospective entrepreneurs, agricultural graduates, horticultural officers and progressive growers desirous of having hands on experience in modern technology of horticulture including precision/protective cultivation will continue to take advantage of various trainings and courses and participate in the scientific growth of horticulture industry in India.