Visakhapatnam: Floriculture, a viable alternative for tribals

Visakhapatnam: Even as the demand for exotic flowers witnesses an apparent rise in recent times, tribals in the areas of Chintapalli and Araku are now being nudged towards considering floriculture as remunerative alternative crops.

With terrains being favourable for assorted flower crops, Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU) - Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Chintapalli, plan to spread tribal ecosystems in diverse verticals, advocating floriculture.

Apparently, it will benefit the youths in tribal belts in a big way as it would encourage them to move towards alternative crops and give up cannabis cultivation for good in the process.

In a measure to boost agri-tourism in Agency areas, ANGRAU and RARS have been cultivating flower crops such as Gladiolus, Tulip, Lilium, Chrysanthemum and Gerbera varieties at farmers' fields of Chintapalli and neighbouring regions. "The flower crops are grown in Lammasingi and Araku as well. The endeavour has been garnering an encouraging response among the farming communities of Eastern Ghats.

However, if facilities such as shade net and poly house are provided, temperature could be maintained even during off season for the exotic flower cultivation," opines M Suresh Kumar, Associate Director of Research, RARS.

The university officials mention that tribal youths could be given hands-on training in floriculture who in turn could impart lessons to the farming communities. "Floriculture is also quite appealing to tribal women. Most of the ornamental flowers are often sourced from Bengaluru and Kadiyam. If we could make use of the terrains in the tribal belt to grow exotic flower crops, the produce can cater to growing market needs throughout the year," elaborates Suresh Kumar. Eventually, the dependency on sourcing exotic and ornamental flowers from other places could be cut down to a substantial extent. Endowed with enormous potential to cultivate flower crops, the high altitude tribal zone is conducive for the cultivation due to soil health and climatic condition.

By boosting floriculture in the tribal belt and facilitating market linkage, ANGRAU officials express hope that the sector would act as a game changer in enhancing tribal economy.

Besides, tribal youths could be trained in cultivating flower crops, designing bouquets, building awareness, raising flower beds if support from various quarters,

including government, is extended to ensure a large section of farmers adopt floriculture as a sustainable farming system.