Success Stories

Vegetable and Seed Production Made Eye Operation Possible

Ms. Ichhya Maya Rai, is a resident of Barnalu-3 Buladi Gaun of Okhaldhunga district. She is an active member of Nabha Prabhat Vegetable Seed Production Group. Her husband works in the farm. She has nine members in the family with no other source of income. The family’s agricultural land was the only means of livelihood on which they used to grow maize, wheat, millet and some potato for many years. The crops used to suffice for less than nine months and they had to purchase food for rest of the months. She also owns two buffaloes, two sheep, five chicken and two pigs.

After the implementation of Vegetable Seed Project (VSP) supported by SDC and implemented by CEAPRED, she joined the farmers’ group and started to grow varieties of vegetables and seeds. She received trainings and source seeds for vegetable seed production from VSP, CEAPRED. CEAPRED also provided technical assistance to encourage continuing vegetable seed production.

She harvested good amount of crop from a small piece of land. She started with growing beans and now she is cultivating varieties of fresh vegetables (zucchini) and bean (four seasons) for fresh and seed purpose. Currently, she earns Rs.700 to 900 per week through sale of vegetables produced in a small piece of land (about 5 Ropani). After making good amount of profit, other family members have also started helping her in vegetable farming. They work together in field and go to market to sell the product. Their extra income is helping them to send their children for higher education.

She said, “My eyes operation would never been possible if I didn’t have enough money. Now I can see properly which is only because of vegetable and seed production.” Now-a-days her neighbors have also become interested in vegetable and seed production and often visit their land to see and learn.

Economic Upliftment Through Poultry Farming

Pasang Syangbo, 21, is a woman from Janjati community. She lives at Lalbandi VDC of Sarlahi district with her family which comprises her husband and a daughter. Initially, they had just four kattha of land which couldn’t fulfill their food demand even for six months. In order to sustain the family needs, her husband used to work as a waged labourer and used to migrate to India occasionally for seasonal work.

However, Pasang was encouraged to join the local Samjhana Community Organization by CEAPRED/PAF staff. As a result, she joined the CO on Mangsir, 063 as a secretary. The membership of CO helped her take a loan of Rs.12000 from which she purchased a buffalo. Within a year, she earned Rs.16000 and paid back all loans and also sold the buffalo in Rs.15,500. This profit encouraged her to venture into large scale business and therefore she again took a loan of Rs.60, 000 for poultry farming from the revolving fund. This time too, she earned a huge profit and within seven months she earned Rs.1, 40,000 by selling poultry. Not only that, the health of her family members also improved by regular consumption of meat.

She says. “I am highly satisfied from the profit, and have cleared all of my loans.” She even constructed a new poultry house and for that she received a loan of Rs. 50,000 from revolving fund. She started poultry farming at a large scale and made it more scientific. The increased income has empowered her economically and she feels proud to support her family and for being able to pave a way for her family’s sustainable livelihood. Apart from income generation she has also participated in several trainings conducted by CEAPRED that has helped her strengthen her skills and her confidence as well.

Now, she is capable of handling her own community organization meetings, account keeping, and also transaction of R.B Bank. She further adds “the project is extremely beneficial to the poor communities, who don’t have assets for investment”. She is determined to continue her venture with more investment in the near future.

Vegetable Seed Enterprise, Boon to Remote Rural Areas

Jajarkot is one of the most socially and, economically backward districts of the Mid-Western Region. Thalaraikar VDC of the district is even more backward. Tilak Bahadur Sahi, age 26, is a resident of Thalaraikar-3, Jajarkot. He is an active and innovative member of Himal Vegetable Seed Production Group.

Before joining the group, the family was living in abject poverty. He used to follow the tradition of migrating to India for seasonal employment. When heard about the PVSPR, CEAPRED, Mr. Shahi joined Himal Vegetable Seed Production Group. Few months after joining the group, he again went back to India in search of new opportunity. But this time, he returned back to Nepal within two months. He then realized that the seasonal migration is not the solution for economic upliftment. After that he started working actively mobilizing his family and others in vegetable seed production. So he is the one for bringing vegetable greenery in his locality.

He received trainings and source seeds for vegetable seed production. CEAPRED also provided technical assistance to encourage him to continue vegetable seed production.

After the intervention of vegetable seed production program, the trend of consuming fingermillet bread with a pinch of salt has changed. His effort has improved the food security status of the area as almost all farmers started kitchen gardening and vegetable seed production. Last season Mr. Shahi cultivated cowpea-Gaumati in about five ropani land and Bean-Four season in one ropani land producing 56 Kg of seed. From this, he earned Rs. 4,000 from the land which he used to produce Maize of price equivalent to Rs 700. So by vegetable seed production, he is now totally convinced and satisfied.

A Change in Fortune through Vegetables

Lal Bahadur, a resident of Gaurigunj VDC of Kailali district, was compelled to become a Kamaiya (bonded labourer) in exchange for 10 kg of salt. However, now he earns Rs. 400 per day through sale of vegetables produced in a small piece of land (about 0.1 ha) given to him by the government after being freed from Kamaiya status. Vegetables earned him at least four times more income than cereal crops, which we would have grown lacking the motivation and technical guidance provided by CEAPRED staff under the LWF-supported LEPDMH project. He says, “I now can afford not only 10 kg of salt, but have no difficulty in maintaining my family”. “A change in my fortune was made possible only through the encouragement and support of the project” says Lal Bahadur, who has now become a role model for other Kamaiyas.

A New Initiative by an Elderly

Mrs. Putali B.K is a member of Janchetana Women Saving Group. She is 65 years of age and resides in Ward No. 8, Chhampi VDC. She is a widow who is looking after her family of eight members. She owns only 1.6 ropani of land which is able to feed them for less than a three month.

Mrs. B.K recalls the numerous challenges that she faced to fulfill the basic requirements of her family, specially after her husbands death. She says, “To sustain our livelihood, my family was bound to work as a wage laborer. Daily wage labor is also not easy to find on a regular basis, so I used to collect fuel woods from near by forest and sell them. Sometimes, I even had to wash the clothes of other people. I was very poor and had to do many things to sustain my family”.

Constantly, in search of income generating opportunities, Mrs. B.K learnt about Sustainable Livelihood Improvement Project implemented by CEAPRED-LWF. She then joined the group that initially started with monthly saving.

Vegetable production and livestock raising were the major activities under the income generation component. After obtaining various information about the project and forming the group, “I began pig raising. I continuously received technical support (vaccination/medical) which has provided me with ample opportunities for economic growth through pig raising”.

Initially, she bought one pig with her savings. In the same year, she earned Rs. 14,000. She was very happy with the income and spent a bulk of amount in household activity and education of her children.

By giving continuity, Mrs. B.K has been able to generate Rs. 43,000 with an investment of Rs. 15,000 on medicine, vaccination and food for the pigs. She exclaims, “This is certainly more than I had ever anticipated”.

The project not only provides necessary information but also develops the capacity of the local people. Different trainings and exposure visits have helped the target group to acquire information and knowledge about small livestock raising as a profitable enterprise.

Agro-Vet Enterprise : A New Beginning

Mr. Bhim Prakash Pun was born in Majkada VDC, Salyan District. He says, “I have studied upto class nine. I seven members in my family. Though own ten ropani of land, the produce from the land can feed my family only for five months”.

“With the belief that I could earn some income if I acquired vocational skill, I enrolled in 35 days vocational course. Despite receiving this training I was not able to get a job. Thus I was compelled to go to India as seasonal migrant”.

When he returned, he heard of the Local Livelihood Program (LLP) being implemented by CEAPRED. Mr. Pun met with some of the staff who explained in greater detail about the programs.

“After receiving information about the project, I joined Kalika Tarkari Utpadan Samuha (Vegetable Production Group). As a member, I received several training on various aspects of vegetable production. Specifically, upon receiving three days training on Agro-vet Promotion, I decided to open up Agro-vet shop in the area”. “With the support of LLP and my friends, I opened up “Bhim Agro-Vet” at Raikarbazar. In no course of time, I was able to make substantial profit. Beside, agricultural inputs and veterinary medicines, I have been buying and selling vegetable worth Rs. 40,000 daily. My market outlets for vegetables are Sallebazar, Chhinchu and Birendranagar”. His volume of business, during the last 14 months has been increasing. Bhim Parkash had made a profit of Rs.120, 000. At present, he has stock of veterinary medicines and agricultural inputs worth Rs. 300,000.

When asked about future plans, he says “I will not go to India but will continue to expand my enterprise. While I am making some profit, I am also serving the community by providing Veterinary Medicines and Agricultural Inputs”. With a sense of gratitude he expresses,” I am grateful to the project for showing me the way to a better future through the Agro-Vet enterprise”.