Trinity Saioo

In Mulieh, a village in the West Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, almost every household now grows a special kind of turmeric. Much of the credit for that goes to one woman: Trinity Saioo, a schoolteacher, farmer and mother of six ^[2][3].

A better turmeric

Trinity teaches at a village school and also farms to support her family ^[2][3]. Farmers in her area had long grown a local variety of turmeric called Lachein. She saw that it gave low yields and had little curcumin, the compound that gives turmeric its colour and much of its value ^[4].

The Lakadong variety, grown in the same hills, was different. It is prized for its colour, aroma and flavour, and fetches a much better price ^[2][4].

She went to the Spices Board in Shillong for help ^[2]. With the Board’s support, including subsidies that gave Lakadong cultivation a push from 2003, farmers in Mulieh began to switch ^[3]. The change roughly doubled what they earned from turmeric, according to her official citation ^[2].

From one village to many

The success did not stay in Mulieh. Trinity began encouraging farmers in neighbouring villages to make the same change ^[2]. She also brought village women into grading and processing the harvest, which helped them sell turmeric and turmeric products at better prices ^[3].

In time, about 800 farmers were growing Lakadong turmeric with her encouragement, and she set up a cooperative called the Leng Skhem Spice Society ^[2]. Her citation notes that around 100 turmeric self-help groups work under a federation she is closely involved with ^[2][3].

Shaping a state mission

In early 2018, the Meghalaya government was looking at ways to expand Lakadong turmeric production. Trinity was among those who pressed it to launch a dedicated Lakadong Turmeric Mission ^[2].

That same year, on 15 October, the Union Ministry of Agriculture honoured her on Mahila Kisan Divas, a day that celebrates women farmers, in New Delhi ^[2].

The Padma Shri

On 25 January 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs named Trinity Saioo for the Padma Shri, listed under Agriculture, from Meghalaya ^[1].

Her story is about more than a spice. It shows how one teacher, by asking for help and sharing what she learned, helped hundreds of families earn a better living from their own land.