Rourkela: Marigold farming In Sundargarh district is becoming an alternative source of livelihood for rural women.
Due to increasing demand for flowers, the government, through schemes like the MIDH (Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture) and Mission Flower, has provided financial incentives up to Rs2.62 lakh in the current financial year to support floriculturists. As a result, around 39 women’s self-help groups (WSHGs), along with numerous small and medium-scale rural woman farmers in the Nuagaon, Bisra, Lathikata, and Kuarmunda blocks have taken up marigold cultivation.
In FY 2023-24, the Horticulture Department of Rourkela, under the MIDH scheme, aimed to cultivate marigolds on 12 hectares of land to benefit small and medium-scale horticulturists, including women and men, in these blocks. Projects for marigold cultivation were approved in specific villages across Nuagaon, Bisra, Lathikata, and Kuanrmunda blocks. Additionally, 10 hectares of land were allocated for marigold cultivation under the Mission Flower scheme, specifically for women’s groups.
Under the MIDH scheme, grants of Rs10,000 per hectare are provided to other categories of farmers, while small and medium-scale horticulturists receive Rs16,000 per hectare. Similarly, women horticulturists and self-help groups receive financial incentives of Rs16,000, Rs10,000, and Rs4,000 per hectare, respectively, to support their marigold cultivation.
Due to the financial support and growing demand for flowers in urban markets, women and men horticulturists in these four blocks have increasingly taken up marigold cultivation. The Horticulture department is also drawing plans for expanding flower cultivation in the region for the FY 2024-25.
Dushmant Behera, the Director of the Rourkela Horticulture department, said marigold cultivation is profitable, especially since these blocks are located near the city where there is a constant demand for marigolds. He said plans are afoot to provide further government incentives to horticulturists.
PNN