The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) members consist of thousands of growers of flowers and ornamental plants around the world who are together united by one essential goal – promoting the place of plants in people’s lives.
AIPH is responsible for approving the world’s most exceptional horticultural expos creating long lasting green legacies in cities across the globe.
AIPH Blooming Economies & Cities to Inspire The World 2.0. Up-to-date statistics from recent Expos hosted in Asia and Europe.
Learn moreAIPH hosts several conferences, webinars and events such as the International Grower of the Year award throughout the year. Read about these along with the latest news about the association’s activities.
The AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards celebrate the best of the best in ornamental horticulture
Learn moreAIPH’s key aim is to stimulate demand for ornamental trees, plants and flowers worldwide. We are committed to supporting growers in achieving this by protecting and promoting the interests of the industry.
The AIPH’s Global Industry Intelligence Centre (GIIC) is an international hub for industry information and knowledge exchange.
The report contains insights on production and consumption of the floriculture industry in Thailand, imports and exports, and business opportunities
DownloadAIPH Green City activities promote the essential role of plants in creating vibrant urban areas in which people and businesses can thrive.
Augusto Solano, whose 25 years of leadership helped position Colombian floriculture as a global benchmark.
One of the most influential figures in modern international floriculture, Augusto Solano, has announced he will step down after 25 years at the helm of Asocoflores, closing a chapter that helped shape how flowers are produced, certified and traded worldwide.
Solano will remain as President until early April, ending a tenure that coincided with the transformation of Colombian floriculture into a global benchmark for scale, professionalism and sustainability. During his tenure, Asocoflores, an AIPH member, has strengthened Colombian flowers’ presence in more than 100 international markets, while the sector has matured into one of the country’s most visible and respected agro-export industries.
His leadership was marked by continuity through pressure. From prolonged currency appreciation in the early 2000s to the disruption of the COVID 19 pandemic and more recent diplomatic tensions affecting trade with the USA, Solano maintained a clear international outlook. The emphasis remained on market confidence, reliability and long-term positioning rather than short-term reaction.
One of his most enduring contributions has been the early integration of sustainability into mainstream floriculture strategy. Long before environmental and social standards became an industry expectation, Solano promoted a model that linked competitiveness directly to responsible production. This approach later crystallised in the Florverde Sustainable Flowers Certification, now widely recognised in key export destinations, and helped reposition Colombian flowers as products defined not only by quality and volume, but by values.
Under his leadership, environmental stewardship, labour standards and community wellbeing were treated as strategic foundations rather than compliance exercises. The result was a sector that professionalised rural employment, adopted international best practice early, and strengthened credibility with buyers and institutions alike.
Innovation and science also played a central role. By encouraging closer cooperation between growers, researchers and technical partners, Solano supported the development of a knowledge-based floriculture model, most visibly through the creation of Ceniflores, the Colombian Floriculture Innovation Center. This focus on applied research helped the industry adapt to changing market demands and production challenges while reinforcing resilience over time.
Internationally, Solano became a respected voice well beyond Latin America. His election as Chair of the Board of Union Fleurs marked the first time the role was held by someone from the Americas, underlining his standing within the global flower trade. Over the past five years, he has received multiple international honours, including
• Extraordinary Order of Merit Edgar Wells for Floriculture – Asocolflores 2025
• Floriculture Hall of Fame – Society of American Florists (SAF) 2025
• Ambassador Award – American Floral Endowment (AFE) 2024
• Recognition from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan 2023
• Leland T. Kintzele (LTK) Distinguished Service Award – Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association (WFFSA) 2021
Augusto Solano’s departure signals more than the end of a long presidency. It marks a generational shift in how leadership within global floriculture has been defined over the past three decades.
At a time when many production regions were focused primarily on volume and price, Solano consistently argued that long-term competitiveness depended on credibility, social standards and environmental responsibility. That positioning helped Colombian flowers build lasting trust in international markets and influence broader thinking across the global supply chain.
For growers and exporters worldwide, his legacy reinforces a clear lesson. Sustainability, research and professional governance are not add-ons or marketing tools, but core business strategies that protect market access during periods of political, economic and logistical pressure.
As the sector now faces tightening regulation, labour challenges and climate-related risk, Solano’s approach offers a blueprint for resilient leadership grounded in continuity, international dialogue and long-term investment in people and knowledge.
As he prepares to step back, Solano leaves behind more than a strong export sector. He leaves a global imprint on how floriculture defines professionalism, responsibility, and long-term vision, as well as a leadership model that continues to resonate well beyond Colombia.
