Dr Narinder Paul
Gajothe, a small village in Kellard area of District Doda, situated at a distance of 12 Km from the tehsil headquarters Bhalla and 28 Km from the District headquarters Doda has proudly made its identity as marigold village of the District during the last 8 years.
Administratively, it comes under block and tehsil Bhalla and has 1032 male and 959 female population constituting the total population of 1991. Overall, the village has 423 households, 52.99 percent literacy rate and sex ratio of 929 as per 2011 Census. Mainstream villagers belong to farming community and are engaged in agriculture and allied vocations. Majority of the village land is sloppy and receives scanty rainfall. Besides, agro-climatic conditions of the village are quite conducive for growing a wide variety of vegetables, fruits and flowers.
Even though the village is not well connected with a concrete road and the villagers have to wade through mud laden kaccha track over 5-6 Km to adjoining village Malothi, but this cumbersome journey never shatters their morale to go for adoption of innovative ideas and set glaring examples despite multiple infrastructural constrictions. Constraints never succeeded in putting any type of shackles on their “flight of success through the journey of innovativeness” and their efforts to prove that agriculture and allied vocations are equally successful enterprises and by inculcating all the attributes of an entrepreneur, the stereotype notions stand nowhere.
The story of the village 8 years ago was altogether different. With maize as the only traditional crop and some where apple orchards, the farmers were not satisfied as income per unit of land even with the input investment was not increasing and the productions were almost stagnant. They were looking for some innovative ideas for incorporation in their existing farming systems to increase their income. Meanwhile, one of the farmers Hind Bhushan came in contact with KrishiVigyan Kendra Doda. He got training in floriculture and started cultivation of marigold flower on a small piece of land initially for experimentation. Several constraints came but he remained defiant with an objective to get success. After 3 years, he became an established marigold farmer making significant achievements as compared to his old farming practices.
Meanwhile, many other villagers came forward and adopted marigold cultivation. The efforts of one of the farmers of the village began to sprout and bear fruits. Profits did occur and with the dent of their hard work, income from their farms begins to increase. A new dawn with new confidence and a new venture of marigold cultivation grew. Every year other fellow farmers continue to add to the list of marigold cultivators. KVK and Department of Floriculture played their respective crucial roles, former through capacity building on the technological know-how and do-how and, later by extending various Centrally Sponsored Schemes which kept the morale of the villagers high and provided conducive conditions in extending the saffron hue of the marigold not only to the entire village but also other villages of the Kellard area. A marigold farmers club also got formed in the village to overcome the problems of input availability and marketing.
Journey of 8 years has come up today with a highly encouraging agri-entrepreneurship model giving pleasing outcomes not only for the farmers practicing the marigold cultivation but also fellow farmers of the same and adjoining villages. It has reflected its inherent potential as a potent tool in providing employment to the rural youth and farm women. Besides, opportunities for small and marginal farmers especially rural youth in their own villages enhanced confidence level and helped to increase the income of their households.
Today more than 220 households are undertaking marigold cultivation on more than 25 hectares area in Gajothe. They use scientific production and management technologies, quality hybrid seeds and other recommended package of practices. Earlier Monocropping was followed and over the years, intercropping in the apple orchards has also been practiced which makes a panoramic view during the season. Farmers experience added advantages of marigold on apple crop in terms of better inter-space utilization, reduced incidence of pests and diseases and increased production. Seed of marigold is costly and to overcome this constraint, farmers have started propagation of marigold through cuttings. This year 2.5 hectares area in the village has been propagated through cuttings.
Appreciably, an annual turnover of more than Rupees 72 Lac from marigold in the entire Kellard area has been a major achievement of the farming community of Gajothe. Moreover, collective purchase of inputs and collective marketing of the produce by the farmers has helped solve the major problems of timely non-availability of inputs and marketing. Inspired by the success of Gajothe, farmers of adjoining villages are also coming forward and adopting marigold cultivation. More than 30 villages of Kellard area have witnessed the marigold bloom and farmers harvesting gold from marigold.
“Scientific cultivation technology and advice of the experts as and when needed is the success mantra of the villagers” says Hind Bhushan, a pioneer marigold farmer who is also Chief Volunteer of the Gajothe Marigold Farmers’ Club. He firmly believes that marigold cultivation has potential to double the income of small and marginal farmers of the hilly district of Doda. Shanti Kumar, another marigold farmer of the village while sharing his experiences says, “When I initially started marigold cultivation, villagers and even my family did not consider it wise but today I proudly say, they appreciate my decision.” Mohammad Ashraf from village Malothi who has been cultivating Marigold for the last 6 years believes that youth has multiple options in floriculture including cut flowers. Mukhtiar Ahmad, from village Panjgraien introduced marigold cultivation in his village this year and he says,” Next year 15-20 farmers of the village have made up their minds to start marigold cultivation because of my successful experimentation.”
Gajothe village has set up an example of ideal model in motivating and retaining the youth in agriculture and allied vocations thereby promoting the concept of entrepreneurship in agriculture. It is an eye opener for those who always harp about lack of infrastructure and leave no stone unturned to criticize the system as this self motivated and intrinsically inspired farmers not only quickly picked up an innovative idea but also adopted it swiftly and set up an exemplary viable model with the advice of experts and hard work, determination and scientific outlook. India lives in the villages and if we have to develop the country, we have to provide the employment opportunities to the youth of the villages in their own respective villages itself. It has proved to be very true and realistic model in the village so far as this concept of village development is concerned. Success of Gajothe is all set for replication in other areas of the district but it needs intrinsically motivated farmers having entrepreneurial attributes.
(The author is from Krishi Vigyan Kendra Doda, SKUAST Jammu)
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