Mangaluru: What began as a hobby in the home gardens of Malnad is now evolving into a collective effort to preserve, promote and market the region’s distinctive dahlia varieties. Seeking to build a community of growers and flower enthusiasts, the Thotagars Green Group FPO of Thotagars’ Rural Co-operative Agricultural Multipurpose Society Ltd (TRC Sirsi) organised a study visit to a farmer’s home in Nanikatta village Monday.The study tour, titled Prakriti Patha, brought together 28 participants, most of them women interested in cultivating dere hoo, the local name for dahlias. The initiative follows the encouraging response to the recently organised Dere Mela, which connected growers from across the region and sparked interest in taking the flowers beyond home gardens.Santhosh Kumar Gowdar, director of Totagars Green Group FPO, said women in the Malnad region have been cultivating different varieties of dere hoo for years, largely as a hobby. The FPO now wants to create a platform where growers can share knowledge, conserve local varieties, and explore income opportunities.“The women who participated in the mela have remained connected through the FPO. We want them to continue growing dere hoo every year and support others who are interested in cultivation,” he said.The FPO has so far identified around 15 women who have collectively nurtured more than 50 varieties of dere hoo. The flowers are grown in Sirsi, Siddapur and Yellapur in Uttara Kannada district, as well as parts of Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts.The study visit showcased successful growers as role models and provided participants an opportunity to learn about cultivation practices, planting material and maintenance. The FPO also plans to document the region’s dahlia varieties with photographs of flowers and bulbs to help preserve and disseminate them.Gowdar said the organisation was exploring ways to make the plants accessible to a wider audience. While transporting live plants presents logistical challenges, the organisation is considering distributing dahlia bulbs to other districts.“We want to put Sirsi on the map as a dere hoo hub and make the flower an icon of the region. We are also looking at tie-ups with temples and hotels that use flowers for decoration,” he said.Shridhar Ramachandra Hegde of Jaddimane, another director of the FPO, said the initiative aimed to build a network of growers while creating an additional source of income for women.The horticulture department has been supporting the effort.Among those behind the movement is Veda Seetaram Hegde, popularly known as Vedakka, of Neernalli village, who has been cultivating dahlias in her home garden. Along with her friend Anjana Bhat, she helped introduce the concept of the Dere Mela, bringing together women growers and flower enthusiasts from across the region.
