India has the advantage of having varied climate and has a potential for floriculture sector. Drying of flowers is a method of preservation of flowers or the method of removing moisture from the flowers. Dry flowers, since ages have been integral part of every household decor. Dry flowers are nothing but dehydrated flower botanicals and parts of plants. Anything from flowers to petals, to buds, stems, roots, fruits and leaves in a dried form come under the domain of dry flowers. These hydrated botanicals can be used in natural, dyed, bleached or preserved forms and its usage one’s imagination and the sky is the limit.
Keeping in view the potential of dry flowers and their utilization for entrepreneurship and income generation for rural women, one day training programme on Dry flower technology was organized by SGT University at villages Khera Khurrampur and Mubarikpur Gurugram, Haryana on 8th and 9th July 2019. The main aim of training was to develop entrepreneurial skills in rural women.
A total 120 women participated in the programme. Dr. Pooja Pant, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, explained in detail about the cultivation of flower crops grown in local area and conducted technical session and practical training on Dry Flower Technology. Dr. K.R. Dabur, Dean, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, apprised all participants about the necessity of entrepreneurship development in rural women and encouraged them for making it as one of their livelihood options.
In practical session, women learnt how to dry the flowers and make different value added products out of it. The participants were given demonstration on greeting cards, wall hangings, flower candles and bouquet making and flower arrangement using local flower crops and ornamentals by students of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences. The women participants showed a great interest in the programme and they were quite enthusiastic to take up the programme at their own level.
