Guwahati, May 16 -- Written by Maitreyee Boruah/101Reporters

Kamrup: On a pleasant sunny day in the first week of April, Bangalpara, a village in Assam's Kamrup district, was busy harvesting maize. The village is located about 35 kilometres from Assam's capital, Dispur.

The west bank of the Hajo Suti River, flowing gently through Bangalpara, had turned yellow - freshly harvested corn kernels spread across large plastic sheets, drying in the sun. Overlooking the riverbank were vast swathes of ripened maize plants, waiting their turn.

Maize, or maakoi, is the main crop grown in Bangalpara. The village has around 550 residents, and all 100-odd households are engaged in farming.

"Around 2,000 bighas (268 hectares) of land in Bangalpara ar...