PAHAL Raise Ray of Hope
Pashupati Bohora is a 25 year old farmer living with Chaurpati rural municipality-4, Payal with 5 family members having father in law, mother in law, her husband and 3 years old daughter. She has 4 ropani own land among which 2 ropani was used for vegetable cultivation and 2 ropani for cereal cropping. The produce was used just for household consumption. There was no income from agricultural land hence her husband went India since 3 years seeking job for family. She was cultivating vegetables in small area of land in traditional way and her father & mother in law also helped her in agricultural operation. Her father in law had respiratory problem requiring frequent hospital visit. Her husband’s income was just sufficient to cover the health expense of her father in law and she had to take loan to fulfill entwined house problems. She was then internally sure that agricultural activities is the only way that can improve her family status but only gap was supporting agency who could support her technically and financially. Fortunately, PAHAL program started working in Payal VDC at 2016 and helped in of Badpipal farmers group selecting her as chairperson of that group in 14th August 2016. Thereafter, she received various trainings like group management, kitchen gardening, integrated pest management, commercial vegetable cultivation which further influenced her in commercial vegetable production.
She received plastic house and other technical support from PAHAL program at 2016 to startup climate sensitive vegetable production techniques. She planted cucumber that year and due to more off-season production and more income she was keenly interested to continue and increase the cultivated land. But unfortunately she didn’t have enough land so that production area could be increased. As she was committed in vegetable cultivation, she discussed with her family and decided 10 ropani of additional land to take in lease near house. She planted various seasonal crops in that land and started selling in nearby market. Her enthusiasm and hard work ultimately increased her annual income to NPR 60000/- from agriculture production. “There is no problem of marketing products as there is more demand of fresh vegetables”-says Pashupati. Her labor and hard work was prominent and recognized at whole VDC, hence she was selected as lead farmer for PAHAL program. She was mobilized at her VDC to disseminate the knowledge and skills about climate sensitive technologies of agriculture production. She influenced other farmer groups as well in modern agricultural production techniques that also increased her leading capacity and leadership skills. Her family is now consuming fresh nutritious vegetables all-round the year and annual income is 60000/-. She paid her loan and seems to be satisfied from this job. She has now started saving in Radhakrishna women saving cooperative and Payal saving and credit cooperative nearby her house. She is now a role model for other female farmers of Payal VDC and seeing her success many of them have started commercial vegetable production and sell in nearby market area. Her future plan is to continue the job and help other female to engage in agriculture sector to improve their livelihood status by disseminating her knowledge and skills so that her VDC will be model VDC. “Not only me, other female farmers have also started vegetable production, sell locally and planning to commercialize the production. I would like to thank PAHAL to transform me from subsistence to commercial. I hope for the same support in upcoming days too”- states Pashupati.