BAJURA: A group of local women have started turmeric farming in a community forest in Budhinanda Municipality-8 of Bajura district.

The Women Farmer Group started turmeric farming in local Hariyali Community Forest, according to the group's chairperson Danta Bohara.

Local farmer Nirmala Bohara said the farming was started with the objective to attract women towards turmeric farming and utilising the infertile land. She said ginger and turmeric were planted in eight hectares of land.

Two quintals of ginger and turmeric seeds were provided to the women's group for the farming according to project coordinator Gobinda Thapa.

An agricultural school of the women's group holds a weekly meeting to provide information on agriculture. Local Santoshi BK said it was decided by the meeting to do farming in the community forest.

This is the first time the women's group has started professional farming in the district.

The women were attracted towards the turmeric crop as the farming could be done with low investment utilising infertile land.

"Plans are underway to extend the farming that was started in the community forest from March," Bohara said. Budhinanda Municipality's deputy mayor Shristi Regmi said the initiative was taken as it turmeric farms are easier to manage and also generates good income in the market.

Turmeric farming generates more income than other crops, according to the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Bajura.

Of late, women in the district have been attracted towards agriculture.