KOCHI: When they started growing marigold plants after cleaning a vacant plot in Malanirappu, the members of the area’s Friends Club didn’t nurture any high hopes. They just wanted the land to remain clean. They also thought it would build a better relationship among families of the locality as they would take turns to maintain it. But a year later, they harvested nearly 90 kg of flowers and sold them in the local market.
Initially, they planted around 1,000 marigolds on either side of the three roads near Malanirappu centre (a small township on the border of Ernakulam and Kottayam, close to Arakkunnam). The idea was mooted by the members of the club and their families.
Slowly, they shifted their farm activities to an eight-cent plot in the neighbourhood and started taking turns in watering the plants and attending to them, said Jineesh Gopalan, one of the members of the Friends Club.
“When we started growing marigold on the roadside by clearing out the weeds, more families came forward to help. They said vacant plots can be used to grow flowers and as gathering spots. We cleared a vacant land in the neighbourhood. The 45 members in the club and their families are part of the effort,” he said.
Water scarcity
Between December and March, the area faces an acute water shortage. The groundwater level drops, said Thankachan, one of the residents. He is at the forefront to water the plants and maintain them. “Though the club members plant them, the families of the area maintain them and water the plants daily. It is a collective effort,” he said.
The flowers fetch Rs 90 per kilogram in the local market. The last harvest was sold to a wholesale shop in Tripunithura. “We have received an order from a shop in Muvattupuzha for the next harvest. A new project has been planned to distribute water in the area. It is expected to start end of this month and we hope it will solve the water crisis,” Jineesh said.
Though the flower farming was confined to eight cents in the beginning, now the residents have found 70 cents of land and are preparing to sow the seeds there. They are hoping for a better harvest in the coming days.