Floriculture Concentration Zone of Nadia, West Bengal, India By Sanchita Pal Semester IV (2021-2023) Department of Geography, University of Kalyani Introduction • Floriculture or simply flower cultivation is an important and growing sector of agriculture concerning cultivation of ornamental plants and flower intensively. • In the Nadia district of West Bengal Floriculture is gaining wider acceptance among the agriculturists year on year basis inspite of the challenges of poor transportation and connectivity ,lack of proper training in use of modern technology,poor irrigation network etc. Objectives • To gauge the concentration of floriculture activity across various blocks of Nadia district. • To trace out the positive factors towards floricultural development. • To short out various causes of backwardness in particular pocket of the district with respect to floriculture development. Study Area • Nadia district – It district line on the southern gangetic plain of West Bengal.Nadia is located between 22°52’N to 24°11’N latitude and 88°09’E to 88°48'E.Total geographical area of this district is 3927 Sq.km. Methodology Total work is completed using primary data collected from household survey in various villages in Nadia District. Secondary data has been collected The following technique have been used for this work. Location Quotient Formula(S.Bhatia,1965) Index for determining concentration of crop x =[(Area of crop X in the component areal unit)/(area of all crops in the component areal unit)]/[(Area of crop x in the entire study area)/(Area of all crops in the entire study area)]. Problems • Lack of sufficient number of cold storages. • Ineffective information dissemination network for providing updated information on challenges and opportunities of cultivation of various flowers. • Actual lack of affordable loan and credit facilities • Lack of literacy influencing Lack of sense of necessity for personal basic documentations regarding one’s property and thereby affecting the affordability of formal agri credit facilities. • Lack of marketing networks. • Lack of reach of research information regarding the floriculture activities to the farmers. Suggestive Measures • Building up of ground level survey and information collecting channels so as to know the ground realities and challenges faced by floriculturists. • Developing proper water conservation and irrigation facilities so that floriculture is no more dependent upon rainfed sources of irrigation waters. • Steps are required to protect against natural calamities mainly flood and heavy thunderstorms which affect the agricultural processes at various stages of farming, often causing economic losses. • Providing crop insurance and cheaper, affordable credit facilities to floriculturists with government supports in case of natural calamities. • Providing cold storages so as to allow greater longevity of crops and cheaper preservation costs. Prospects • Inspite of various challenges floriculture present alternative and diversified sources of income across various seasons of the year.The growing consumerist culture and urbanization is a positive economic opportunities specifically to the floriculturist. • Nadia, being closer to big markets of flowers including various cities within the district and the cities of the at joining districts,and the capital city of Kolkata presents a quite increasing market for flowers. • Presence of agricultural R and D centers like Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswabidyalaya allows the enterprising farmerst get rich and valuable scientific information which can add advantages to the existing floriculturist of the district. Conclusion • Floriculture as a business provides significant economic opportunities and can employ significant number of relatively unskilled and lesser educated workforce in productive engagement inspite of facing various challenges of lack of adequate social infrastructure uncertainities of weather ,lack of updated agricultural know-hows. References • Census Report, Government of India ,2001. • District Statistical Hand Book , Government of West Bengal,2000,2001,2008. THANK YOU
