Marigold farming boosts socio-economic condition in West Bengal

Marigold farming is strengthening the socio-economic condition of Koladipara village of Siliguri district while also empowering the unemployed villagers,especially women.

Every family of Koladipara is engaged in marigold farming. While men are engaged in farming, the women and girls pluck the yellow flowers to weave garlands and sell them at the wholesale market in Siliguri town, where these are in high demand.

Pallabi Roy, a student of the village, feels empowered as she is able to continue her education while earning money from weaving garlands.

"We pluck flowers and weave garlands between our studies to earn some money. There are many girls like me in this village who do the same between their work and studies" Roy said here.

Most of the residents of Koladipara village are now involved in this new business. Most of the villagers were daily wage labourers before a local self-help group, Phasidewa Farmers Club (PFC), changed their destiny.

It encouraged the villagers to start cultivating marigold flowers in 2010. The venture brought remarkable change in the lives of the people.

One of the members of the PFC, Kalyan Chandra Bhadra, and a farmer himself, said every single family is now engaged in marigold farming.

"There are 45 families residing in this village. Although not every family owns a farmland - they take other's land on lease - everyone in this village is engaged in marigold farming," Bhadra said.

Their success led to the neighbouring villages also to take up marigold farming. Today, Siliguri town exports marigold flowers to neighbouring districts of the state.