Success Stories

Nursery and cut flower production -a profitable venture for unemployed Rural Youth

Background

Nursery production is an attractive farm enterprise provides much scope for self employment of rural youth and women. The enterprise requires little area and least initial investment. But technical knowledge and access to the produce (Planting material) are important to start the enterprise. With changing life styles and increased urban affluence, floriculture has assumed a definite commercial status in recent times. Appreciation of the potential of commercial floriculture has resulted in the blossoming of this field into a viable agri-business option. Availability of natural resources like diverse agro-climatic conditions permit production of some of the temperate and tropical flowers, almost all throughout the year in some part of Kanyakumari District. The commercial activity of production and marketing of horticulture products is also a source of gainful and quality employment to scores of people.

Interventions

Process

Considering the demand for production of quality planting material and cut flowers and the need for creation of employment in the field of horticulture, vocational trainings and demonstrations on nursery and cut flower production techniques were conducted for the duration of 21/10 days to the women Self Help Groups and rural youth of Kanyakumari District since from 2004. Exposure visits were also made in well established nurseries and cut flower units.

Details of Technology

Nursery Production

The technology and skills involved in nursery production was disseminated through trainings and demonstrations

  • Selection of site, planning and layout of nursery
  • Media and containers for propagation of nursery plants
  • Nursery bed preparation and Pro tray nursery raising
  • Seed treatment and sowing
  • Maintenance of seedlings
  • Propagation through cuttings and Layering
  • Grafting and budding
  • Micropropagation

Cut Flower Production

Orchid, Anthurium, Heliconia, Gladiolus, and Tube rose are the most important cut flower crops which performs very well either under open or shade net conditions in the District. Production and post harvest technology based technological backup on Selection of planting material and seed treatment

  • Planting techniques
  • Nutrition
  • Weed, water and shade management
  • Plant protection
  • Harvest, post harvest handling and packing techniques were provided through training and demonstrations

Impact

Horizontal Spread

The vocational training on nursery and cut flower production has motivated the Self Help Groups and the rural youth those who have attended the training. As a result of this,two self help groups and four individuals were started their own production units at their respective places. In case of SHG the work and profits were shared among them.

Economic Gain

Being equipped with the nursery skills by the training programmes the SHG (Agastiar Sanjeevi vana muligai group) started a nursery unit in an area of 40 cent with the buyback arrangement of their produce during 2005-06. They are concentrating mainly on the production of medicinal plants viz., Kacholam, Vilvam, Plumbago, Ravolfia, Neelamari, Stevia, Aloe vera, Alpinia and Vettiver, and forest tree species like teak, Jatropha, Calophyllum and Albizia. They are producing the nursery plants on order basis and getting approximately a monthly income of Rs.2200/-. Apart from producing nursery plants they are maintaining more than 120 high value medicinal and ornamental plants.

Similarly Surya Self Help Group of Pechiparai is also started during 2006-07 rubber nursery in an area of 16 cents and earning Rs. 16, 000 per year. After attending 21 days training programme during 2005-06 Mr. Sasikumar, Sarode, Thuckalay has started a nursery unit (Indira nursery gardens) for the production of ornamental plants, Casuraina, Jasmine and cut flowers like heliconia and orchids. Apart from nursery plants he is also producing cut flowers like heliconia, orchids and anthurium and earning an average of Rs. 7500/ month. After attending 15 days training programme during 2006-07 Mr. C. Sugumaran, a tribe from Orunooranvayal village has started a nursery unit for the production of rubber and medicinal plants. He is earning an average of Rs. 38,000/ -52,000/Year. After attending 10 days training programme during 2009-10, Thirumathi. L.S. Little flower, Puthukadai has started a nursery cum cut flower unit in an area of 75 cents at Karakonam with some choice varieties of heliconia, orchids and anthurium which are preferred mainly for export market. Mr. Vijayakumar, Azhagiamandapam attended 10 days of nursery training during 2010-11 and now he started a nursery at Azhagiamandapam (Deepam nursery gardens) in an area of 30 cents and earning Rs. 5200/month

Employment Generation

Apart from engaging those in the nursery cum cut flower production venture all the beneficiaries are providing employment opportunities to some labourers throughout the year.