Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Sep 20: Shankarnarayana in the taluk is located in a rural belt at the picturesque foot of Western Ghats. Geographically, most parts of the village are surrounded by forest region. Shankarnarayana is surrounded by hamlets, which are now smelling of financial empowerment, thanks to jasmine cultivation that has been adopted in a big way by farmers of the region.

Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) has planned to turn Shankarnarayana into a jasmine village. During the previous year, 35 families from the village were selected for this scheme, under which a minimum of 50 jasmine saplings were planted in the land cultivated by each of these families. These plants have started to flower since the last six months, and because of the system of mobile market, jasmine has been spreading its mellifluous fragrance all over Shankarnarayana and the taluk.

The farmers who have newly adopted jasmine cultivation say that they have set aside two hours every day early in the morning for taking care of jasmine plants and plucking of flowers. "Being the first year of cultivation, we have been earning between Rs 1,200 to 1,300 every week. This gives us immense satisfaction and happiness. This is far better than sitting alone at home and doing nothing," said Jyoti, member of Moodubailoor Durgadevi self help group. Jyoti's opinion is also echoed by other farmers from the region. The jasmine cultivators now say that no other activity other than jasmine cultivation would have suited the aim of achieving economic self reliance of women in this rural belt.

The rural people are not bothered about work involved with floriculture, but when the issue of marketing crops up, they get floored. While marketing of flowers does not pose a problem in coastal region because of urbanization, it is not so easy in rural places. This has also been the major reason for floriculture not gaining popularity in small villages. Realizing that this was a major bottleneck, SKDRDP drew a marketing plan under which different blocks are coordinated, and flower produced in a day are pooled together at a spot and then supplied to Kundapur market. This scheme has succeeded in its purpose, encouraging more farmers to evince interest in jasmine cultivation.

There are even families that have about 200 jasmine plants now. Jyoti of Nandikeshwara self help group has planted 200 jasmine saplings. Women from the region, who have evinced strong interest in cultivating jasmine through organic methods, plan to develop these jasmines into unique brand of 'Shankarnarayana jasmines'. Jasmine grows aplenty in places where sunshine is good and water does not remain stagnant. Therefore, the geography of Shankarnarayana is ideal for the cultivation of 'Shankarpura' variety of jasmines.

These farmers have planted jasmine saplings, duly maintaining a gap of six and half feet between each of them, duly providing them manure from the cattle shed, which is fed by loosening the earth in the shape of rings. Neem oilcakes, cow dung, and groundnut oilcakes are fed to these plants in course of time, and even the 'Jeevamruta' liquid is provided. SKDRDP provides all necessary information to the members about jasmine cultivation, and agricultural department officials visit the spots and provide advice, information, and training. Service representatives also keep visiting these spots for extending suggestions and advice. Grants and loan facilities wherever required, have also been extended. Treatment kits for use in case of insection or diseases have been provided in advance.

As the fist year has kindled hopes, demand for jasmine cultivation has gone up this year. It is said that 20 more families have evinced interest in this activity during this season. Farmers find jasmine cultivation to be better as compared to bidi rolling and cashew nut processing. The jasmine farmers expect their income to go up after this rainy season.

Mobile marketing: The fear of Shankarnarayana farmers about large scale marketing of jasmine has been addressed through mobile marketing. Under this scheme, the jasmine grown locally are brought to the nearest junction and pooled there. From there, the flowers make their journey to the town, where a good market exists for these flowers.

Nursery activity: When jasmine cultivation was introduced for the first time, saplings were purchased from Petri in the district. This time however, the women of Shankarnarayana have prepared their own saplings, and 3,000 of them are ready for supply. The members of self-help groups get these saplings at concessional rates. Sale of saplings has picked up already, it is gathered.

'Shankarnarayana' jasmine: The farmers here have been making a determined bid to win over a distinct market for their brand of jasmine, which they have named as 'Shankarnarayana' jasmines. Once over 50 families from here take up jasmine cultivation, the production of flower will shoot up. After this happens, these flowers will be able to command a unique place for themselves in the market, and will get identified as 'Shankarnarayana' jasmines, the ambitious villagers and agricultural department officials claim. The quality of soil here, and its geographical advantage borne out of having been located away from salty water and nearness to Western Ghats have given a distinct edge for 'Shankarnarayana' jasmines by way of distinct fragrance, they say.

Taluk agricultural officer, Hanumant, says that a decision to provide impetus to different kinds of cultivation in different villages had been taken with the aim of ensuring that grants under different schemes are equally made available to poor people, and their judicious use should pave way for financial stability of the region. He adds that encouragement was given for jasmine cultivation in Shankarnarayana village in this backdrop, and feels that this will be successful because of the interest shown by the farmers.

Service representative of SKDRDP, Sharada, says that the people here have to find some means to supplement their incomes through agriculture alone as the region lacks any other supplemental activities. "We have provided training to cultivate jasmine even in five cents of land. The people here have evinced interest in this cultivation. If the plants are maintained well and cultivation is continued with an eye on regularity of income, it will prove to be very successful," she added.