BHADRAPUR: A field transformed into a garden of blooming marigolds, with women busy tending to the flowers, presents a vibrant scene in Takram, Ward No. 10 of Shivasatakshi Municipality in Jhapa.
The blossoms not only signal the approaching Tihar festival but also reflect local women’s aspirations to earn an income through their own efforts.
With the dual goals of creating employment opportunities in their community and achieving financial independence through collective efforts, local women have cultivated 10,000 marigold plants on six kathas of land. With the flowers blooming well, they are optimistic about earning a good income this Tihar.
The women started the initiative by forming a marigold flower farmers’ mothers’ group, investing around Rs. 25,000 in the farming venture. According to group coordinator Kabita Basnet, the group expects to earn up to Rs. 300,000 from flower sales this year.
“We are expecting a good income from flower farming,” Basnet said.
With Tihar approaching, group members are busy harvesting flowers, making garlands and preparing them for sale. Each garland is expected to sell for between Rs. 100 and Rs. 150.
Collective flower farming has provided the women with an opportunity to earn money while managing their household responsibilities. The members share various tasks, from tending the plants to preparing garlands for the market.
However, growing flowers is only part of the challenge. Timely marketing is essential, as delays can affect flower quality and reduce earnings. Basnet said the group was preparing to store garlands in a cold storage facility to protect them from potential losses caused by rain and other unfavourable conditions.
Local flowers expected to meet festival demand
Demand for marigolds rises during Tihar, when flowers are widely used for worship, household decoration and garlands. Increased local production could reduce dependence on flowers brought in from outside the area while creating better income opportunities for local farmers.
Shivasatakshi Municipality Mayor Megahang Thopra said flower farming could boost women’s incomes and promote locally produced goods.
“Once local flower production increases, there will be no need to bring flowers from outside,” Thopra said. He added that the municipality would provide necessary support to expand flower cultivation to more areas and develop it as a commercial enterprise.
According to the mayor, the municipality has already supported farmers in purchasing seedlings to encourage flower cultivation. He said that proper marketing and storage facilities could help make flower farming a sustainable source of income.
Shivasatakshi Deputy Mayor Narmaya Karki said local women had been encouraged to form groups and pursue flower cultivation in a systematic manner after expressing interest in the initiative.
“After the women expressed their plans to grow flowers, we suggested forming groups and cultivating them systematically,” Karki said. “We are providing the necessary support to help them become self-reliant and sustain their efforts.”
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