The farmlands of the Kabini bioregion are a visual treat during the short post-monsoon season from July to October. One is greeted by fields of dancing marigolds that colour this landscape with their bright orange and yellow hues, turning it into a giant still life painting in real time.
Floriculture has opened up new opportunities for small farmers who have of late been pushed to the edge due to poor returns and unpredictable rains. Marigold, favoured for its use in social and religious ceremonies and, more recently, for essential oils extracted from their petals, are popular with the small farmers of Kabini who supplement their income from its seasonal cultivation each year. A dynamic approach has helped them recognize this small window of opportunity and create a new means of sustenance for themselves. Necessity is indeed the mother of invention.