In more than 30 acres of land, Squash is cultivated by 58 families from Marang village in Nongstoin, West Khasi Hills district in the state of Meghalaya. The crop grows very easily with very minimum input and due to its high demand, farmers find it a better choice for cultivation.

During the last season (July 17 to Sept 17), the households which cultivate the crop had earned a good income. The income figures ranged from Rs. 2,000/- to Rs. 30,000/-. Though they had to spend on transportation for the product as they have to sell it outside the village but the profit is already helping them to grow economically.

 “The journey was not smooth”, says Wilfred Kharmaw, the village Headman, “as the starting of agriculture activity on a commercial scale brought fear and uncertainty in marketing the products”.  The problem was in marketing the products as it never used to fetch an even minimum price in the open market. It compelled the people to cultivate just for their own consumption.  In the process, the people remain poor and in some circumstances, make them even think to do away with agriculture. The people had the notion that agriculture is not at all viable activity for their economic prosperity. This belief persists among the people because of people’s ignorance on market dynamism and unity in doing things.

“FARM Northeast Team had made us understand the market dynamism. They guided us to act accordingly for our own benefit”, says Mr. Wosling Syiemlieh, the lead farmer and Secretary of the Dorbar Shnong (village institution). The farmers after the due discussion had decided to sell their agricultural products collectively in the market. They selected Squash crop which is very popular in the area. This was done to sell a single product for the whole village in a collective way. The village council took it forward by encouraging each household to cultivate squash along with other crops. “The proactive approach of the community has a set a new horizon for marketing that remains to be a challenge in this part of the country”, says Richmond, Team Member of Nongstoin Social Service Society (NSSS).

Presently, each household is cultivating squash as one of the cash crops. The buyers from nearby areas of  Assam have shown keen interests in taking the produce from the village itself during the current season (July 18 to Sept 18) depending on the quantity that the village can produce. “We have seen the way to earn and it is working nicely. Finally, our honest sweat is bearing the fruits”, says an enthusiastic Ms. Bioris Kharsyiemlieh. Marang farmers are expected to double their incomes in the next season and NSSS is doing everything possible to support the farmers with technical knowledge.

Ms. Mir Kharbani, a farmer who had earned Rs. 30,000/- from squash cultivation during the last season express his gratitude by thanking FARM Team for showing the way in earning within our own village. For Bioris who earned Rs 2000 is because it was the very first season for her and she never cultivated squash before. The village is now looking forward to good things and better living condition with the simple gesture of working together.

The future remains both an exciting and a challenging for Marang village. They have bridged the gap between the market and the farmer which enabled them to share their risks and strengthen their competencies. The farmers need to be organised by forming cooperatives, however, it’s too early now”, says Brolius D Marbaniang, Project Coordinator of FARM Northeast programme. For Caritas India as a support partner, it is encouraging to see marketing of agricultural produce taking shape though in a small way.