Women dole out success stories at Dasara festival

Mysuru: She is an inspiration to all those farmers, who are despairing at their diseased or excess crop and see suicide as their only option.  Forty -year- old  Nagarathna Narayanswamy saw an opportunity  when  her mango crop fell prey to disease.

Turning the disaster into opportunity she became an entrepreneur and today sells products like  mango bars, juices, candy, chocolates and more. The woman, who is from Srinivasapura in  Kolar district, is  displaying her products  at the expo of women entrepreneurs and self- help groups being held as part of  the Women's Dasara in Mysuru.

The heavy  South West Monsoon this year wreaked havoc over the 1,400 hectares of mango trees in Srinivaspura taluk, known for the highest cultivation of the fruit. As the price of the mangoes fell, the farmers did not get to recover even their transport charges to the markets and many decided to dump their produce.  But not Nagarathna. The woman, who owns a three acre mango plantation joined her friend, Lakshmidevi Vasudev who owns a six acre mango plantation and  18 other members of the Stree Shakthi group in approaching the Horticulture Science University, Bagalkot, the ICAR Agriculture Science Centre and Mango Development Board for help.

Soon the women learnt to prepare mango products like the bars, juices and candy, chocolates to turn their misfortune into a thriving business.  

Another progressive farmer,  Susheela Shivanna, (45) did not give up either after losing her crop following heavy rainfall. With her husband, Shivanna, she made use of the "Krishi Honda" given by the government to store the excess  water and used it to practice fisheries.