Where there is will, there is a way. This has been proved by women farmers of Deoghar and Bokaro who have chosen farming of unconventional crops with the help of Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) to support their family income and become self-reliant.

While the women as part of the self help group are engaged in cultivation of strawberry cultivation in Padanbera village of Deoghar, the women of Murulsudi Panchayat of Kasmar block of Bokaro have successfully cultivated Marigold to increase their family income and thereby secure future for them.

Lilu Devi, a women of Murulsudi panchayat of Dhanbad, said, “I started marigold cultivation in my farmland with a small capital of less than Rs 5 thousand and within four months became able to grow crop worth Rs 1 lakh.”

She further said that experts of Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) as well as members of Maa Durga Mahila Swayam Sahayata Samuh helped her with the necessary tips with the regard to, how much distance to be observed between the crops during cultivation, which insecticides to be used for the crop, how much water to be used for irrigation; how to pluck flowers; and which thread and needle to be used for making garlands.

“We were facing a lot of financial constraints till last year but with the cultivation of marigold plants and sale of marigold garlands we have overcome the crisis and my graduate son, Lagnu Kisku besides other family members are also helping me with the business.” said Devi.

She further explained, “Due to losses with the paddy and tomato cultivation for the last two years we were under stress and planning to cultivate some other crop and came into contact with Maa Durga Mahila Swayam Sahayata Samuh."

“They suggested to us for multigrain cultivation and we as per their suggestion carried out cultivation of mustard and pigeon pea along with marigold” said Devi and added that the idea clicked quite well as they started earning profit," she added.

Kuldeep Chaudhary, Bokaro DC while lauding the effort of Maa Durga Mahila Swayam Sahayata Samuh said, “The women SHG members are carrying out cultivation of several crops and are becoming self dependent which is a positive development”

In a related development Deoghar Deputy Commissioner, Manjunath Bhajantri on Monday also lauded the effort of women self group of Padanbera Panchayat area of Deoghar block of district, which is also engaged in cultivation of strawberry, which not only helped them to become self dependent but also to secure a better life for the their family.