How A ‘Wicked Weed’ That Killed Kerala’s Rivers Is Now Empowering Its Women

With bright green leaves and pretty clusters of lavender coloured flowers, it’s hard to believe at first that water hyacinth is among the most invasive and destructive plant species in the world. One of the fastest growing plants in the world, it has the ability to suffocate aquatic ecosystems and make navigation an incredibly tedious task. While the plant has been a menace for years, there is a group in Kerala that is putting this ‘wicked weed’ to good use and empowering women in the process by producing biogas, vermicompost and being used as a weaving natural fibre.

A coastal village surrounded by water, a lot of the economy of Kottapuram is based on fishing. When the water hyacinth takes over, not only does it use up all the oxygen, not allowing any fish to survive, but its large roots get tangled up in the Chinese fishing nets that are used in Kerala.

The Kottapuram Integrated Development Society (KIDS), established by the Diocese of Kottapuram, has got on women artisans to work with screw pine and water hyacinth, along with other natural fibres. Killing two birds with one stone, not only are they generating employment for underprivileged women in low-income backgrounds and helping them stand on their own feet, but they’re also tackling the killer weed problem that’s been taking over their water bodies.

With orders coming in from across state lines, this eco-friendly initiative is weaving table mats, baskets and bags, and more, by drying out the hyacinth stem, and as per reports, they’re also experimenting with biodegradable yoga mats!

“The variety of stem that can be used to make bags, mats and baskets is only available around here,” Sister Mercy Thomas told Scroll.in in an interview.“We’re using a wicked plant to generate income... We pluck it out, use the stem and set fire to the root so it doesn’t come up again. We’re also doing our bit for the environment.”

“The traditional screw pine mats lost out to the cheaper plastic variant and this art was grinding to a halt till many centres like ours got into making other products out of this fibre. But, I think, our intervention into water hyacinth crafts was a turning point. This aquatic plant was an environmental hazard. It was blamed for clogging and flooding some areas. Creating products from water hyacinth is part of an environmental solution to a local problem, turning a pest into an asset,” stated Rev. Nixon Kattassery, the Executive Director of KIDS, in an interview.

Bringing on women’s self-help groups, KIDS conducted a number of workshops, identifying the women’s strengths and allocating work accordingly – from collection and splicing to working with the dye and weaving. They’ve even brought in designers to help the women work on their designs and technique, and better their products in the process.

As Rev. Nixon rightly said, they’ve really turned a pest into an asset, showing the way for innovative approaches to dealing with plants like the water hyacinth. Instead of treating our rivers with chemicals and the mechanical clearing of the plant, governments could take a cue from KIDS’ books and implement their strategies of dealing with it in a sustainable manner, a win-win situation for all.

Feature image courtesy of KIDS Kottapuram via Facebook.