Extension Networks and Floricultural Advancement Dissemination

The cultivation of decorative and flowering plants is the focus of the horticultural branch known as floriculture. India’s varied climate has made it possible for us to commercially grow a wide variety of blooming crops. Floriculture has become increasingly important to India’s agriculture industry in recent years. The rise in living standards and overall quality of life is driving up demand for decorative flowers both domestically and internationally. Because of their endless colors, flowers are beautiful creations of nature that are regarded as a model of life, love, and beauty. The Indian Government has designated the floriculture industry as an emerging sector and granted it 100% export-oriented status, hence potentially facilitating foreign exchange earnings. The floriculture industry has grown into a high-tech, multidisciplinary field that is driven by science. For the development of floriculture industry, the extension system is important as it disseminates information to future users and conveys user experiences and difficulties with research systems. It links the client systems and research together. Extension communication follows in order to obtain input and impart contemporary farm technologies in an understandable manner. The absence of high-quality seeds, insect pest attacks, poor soil quality, inadequate marketing and storage facilities, sluggish mechanized adoption, loan availability, price volatility, and inadequate facilities for training and extension are just a few of the difficulties farmers confront in the floriculture industry. Extension services are offered to Indian farmers in an effort to minimize the gap and guarantee sufficient farm production and ensure financial security. In this chapter, we have mentioned about the types of extension systems and models of extension that have been used worldwide along with role of institutions like ICAR and CSIR in India, aiming to advance floriculture in India.