Unit 5: Entrepreneurships and Extension

Syllabus Reference: Entrepreneurships in Horticulture, Sustainable Production Practices for Local Fruit Production; Grading, packing, storage and marketing of fruits. [cite_start]Agro Horticultural Societies, Krishi Vignan Kendras (KVK) [cite: 616-617].

1. Entrepreneurship in Horticulture

Horticulture offers vast business opportunities:

• Nursery Business: Producing quality seedlings/grafts for farmers.
• Seed Production: Hybrid seed production of vegetables.
• Landscaping Services: Designing gardens for hotels/homes.
• Value Addition: Making jams, squashes, or dried flowers.

2. Sustainable Production

Practices that maintain production without harming the environment:

• IPM (Integrated Pest Management): Using bio-pesticides instead of chemicals.
• Organic Manures: Vermicompost, Green manure.
• Water Efficiency: Drip irrigation and mulching to save water.

3. Post-Harvest & Marketing

Fruits/Vegetables are highly perishable. Proper handling is needed:

• Grading: Sorting produce based on size, color, and quality (Grade A, B, C).
• Packing: Using corrugated fiber boxes (CFB) instead of wooden crates to reduce damage.
• Storage: Cold storage (Low temp) or Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage (regulating O2/CO2) to extend shelf life.

4. Extension Programmes (KVKs)

Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs): Farm Science Centers established by ICAR.

• Role:
  • Technology Transfer: Lab to Land. Teaching farmers new varieties/methods.
  • Training: Vocational training for rural youth.
  • Demonstration: Front Line Demonstrations (FLD) to show efficacy of new technologies.
• Agro-Horticultural Societies: NGOs or bodies that organize flower shows and competitions to promote horticulture awareness.