"Until a few years ago, the butterfly pea flower was just another climbing plant in my village," said Nilam Brahma, who lives in Anthaigwlao, a village in the northeastern Indian state of Assam. Butterfly pea, also known as aparajita in India, grows as a vine and has a striking blue flower.
Around two years ago, Brahma heard that local women were making money selling the flowers, which can be made into tea or a blue dye, according to the BBC. She decided to join them.
"The results surprised even me. The first time I earned $50 from selling dried flowers, I felt a shock. It made me believe I could control my own future," she said. The experiment led to a small business.
"I applied for a small loan and invested in solar dryers. The machines helped me dry flowers faster, preserve their color, and meet the quality standards demanded by buyers," Brahma added. Thailand and Indonesia have been the leading growers and consumers of butterfly pea flowers. But there's growing global demand for the flower, which is attracting entrepreneurs in India.
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