Floriculture as a Catalyst for Sustainable Mo...

Floriculture as a Catalyst for Sustainable Mountain Development in the Indian Himalayan Region

Author Name : Anupriya Sharma

ABSTRACT The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) represents one of the most ecologically fragile yet economically promising agro-climatic zones of India. Traditional cereal-based subsistence agriculture has generated limited economic returns, contributing to persistent rural poverty and demographic outmigration. Floriculture, as a high-value and low-volume agricultural enterprise, provides a viable pathway for sustainable mountain transformation. The temperate climate, high solar radiation, and ecological diversity of Himalayan states such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Mizoram offer a comparative advantage for cultivating premium ornamental crops. Drawing upon literature on mountain development, horticultural economics, value chains, and climate-resilient agriculture, this paper proposes a structured policy framework emphasizing protected cultivation, indigenous planting material development, organic certification, cold-chain modernization, cluster-based entrepreneurship, and export integration. The study argues that floriculture can function as a strategic driver of sustainable mountain development if institutional coordination, environmental safeguards, and infrastructure reforms are systematically implemented.