A Survey of Marigold Farmers in Jashore District, Bangladesh: Insights into Farming Practices and Challenges

A total of 130 marigold farmers from Jashore District in Bangladesh were studied in order to understand the socio-economic scenario in relation to cultivation techniques and management of pests and diseases. Most respondents fell within the 30–40 age range and ran a medium-size farm area ranging from 2 to 5 acres, which accounted for 65% of the respondents. Most of them had a low educational background; only 12% of the respondents had more than ten years of experience in marigold farming. The annual production cost averaged Tk. 35,000 per acre, yielding a net profit of Tk. 1,50,000 per acre. Marigold farming is economically viable in the 9,000-hectare area and sustains about 200,000 people. Major constraints arose because of the expensive rate of pest management, in which 60% had to spend as high as 25% on this activity, while further 70% blamed poor quality planting material for the incidence of fungal diseases and affected over 55%. Surprisingly, 75% of farmers showed interest in adopting sustainable practices through disease-resistant varieties and integrated pest management. For 65% of the farmers, government extension services were an important source of advice. However, the farmers expressed a felt need for better access to improved planting materials and more effective methods of pest control. These findings provide useful inputs for policy and programme design in efforts towards increasing the sustainability and economic output of marigold cultivation in the region.