Collective Potato Farming Turning Corona's Challenge Into An Opportunity
Collective Potato Farming Turning Corona's Challenge Into An Opportunity
While every profession and business in the world has been affected due to corona, the youth of Rampur have opted for commercial potato farming as an alternative to foreign employment.
Twenty youths have started collective potato farming by establishing a group called Twenty Twenty in Vijaypur, Rampur Municipality-6. After returning to the village, the youths, who were affected by the epidemic in Corona while living in foreign employment, have turned the challenge into an opportunity to cultivate potatoes for income.
The youths have started cultivating potatoes by renting land of about 100 Ropani ( local measurement unit ) . Only young people who have returned to the village from foreign employment and are involved in various professions and businesses belong to the Twenty Group.
Encouraging potato farming, the ward office has provided 10 bags and Agriculture Knowledge Center Palpa has provided 100 bags of Janakdev and 50 percent seed grant of Cardinal variety. The potato farming started by the youth has also become exemplary. The number of people visiting and taking pictures after growing potatoes in the same area has also increased.
Badri Lamsal, a young man who returned to the village from Japan during the captivity of Covid-19, says that the youths have been working together to increase the identity of Rampur and increase their income.
"Covid has also added an energy to our youth. If it had not been for Covid's infection, it would have happened abroad. Now we have started working together in the village for work and price.
Young people who are forced to work eight to ten hours a day abroad are now engaged in agricultural work with enthusiasm as they are able to work independently with their families.
Santosh Devkota, a young man returning from employment in Korea, said that even though COVID-19 has a negative impact on health worldwide, it has created new agricultural opportunities for young people in villages like ours. The collective potato farming started by the youths from all walks of life has become a model. Various women's groups, mothers' groups and agricultural groups have also cultivated potatoes in the block area.
Uma Bhattarai of a self-reliant women's farming group has the experience of sharing experiences and learning new things through group work. The Vijaypur Agricultural Cooperative has provided fertilizer and seeds at the time of cultivation, which has made it easier for the farmers.
According to Yama Bahadur Bhujel, a ward member and program coordinator of the Twenty Twenty group, about 600 metric tonnes of potatoes will be produced in an area of 100 Ropanis ( local measurement unit) . Apart from seed subsidy, the youths have invested around Rs 600,000 for potato cultivation.
Commercial potato has been cultivated in an area of more than one thousand two hundred ropanis within a single ward. Potatoes planted in the same place have started flourishing with the help of Rampur Municipality-6 and Agriculture Knowledge Center Palpa.
Ward Chairman Humnath Neupane says that Ward No. 6 has been providing subsidy for seeds by emphasizing potato farming since last year under the One Ward One Product program of the municipality.
The Rampur Municipality has distributed five tonnes of potatoes to the farmers of the town with 50 percent subsidy through the agriculture branch with a budget of Rs 500,000. Five tons of potato seeds have been distributed in ward no. 6 of the potato block area with the assistance of Rs. 400,000 through the ward office.
Last year, potatoes were cultivated in an area of 3,000 Ropanis ( local measurement unit ) in Rampur Municipality, but this year, about 5,000 Ropanis ( local measurement unit) have been planted. Due to the block area, farmers have been cultivating potatoes by adding more area this year.
It is estimated that about 2,500 metric tonnes of potatoes will be produced in the municipality this year, said Ram Hari Pandey, Chief of Agriculture Branch of Rampur Municipality. Rampur Municipality is developing Ward No. 6 as a potato pocket area under the One Ward One Product Policy.
Farmer Yamakanti Gautam says that emphasis has been laid on potato production as the cold storage with a capacity of 300 metric tonnes has been constructed in Rampur Municipality.
Farmer Gautam, who produces the most seed potatoes in Rampur, produces 250 bags of seed potatoes annually. This year too, he has cultivated potatoes in an area of about 12 Ropanis ( local measurement unit) of improved varieties. He used to send the potato seeds produced in Rampur to Bhairahawa cold storage for storage. This time, Bhairahawa has brought potatoes kept in cold storage at a cost of Rs 40,000 and distributed them to farmers in Rampur.
Farmers have been cultivating with confidence this year as a cold storage with a large capacity has been constructed in Rampur in Palpa district. In the previous year, when the crop was produced, it used to suffer from storage problems.
Farmers have been cultivating a large area with the plan of keeping potatoes in the cold storage constructed at their doorsteps. Deputy Chief of Rampur Municipality Bishnu Devi Ghimire Acharya says that there is a plan to start this time by keeping the produced potatoes in new cold storage. As a large amount of potato is cultivated here, it will be easier for the farmers to store it.
Potato has been cultivated in some areas of Rampur of Palpa, Rainadevi Chhahra, Argali of Tansen, Dailatungphant of Baganaskali, Hungi of Rambha, Khokkhola, Pipaldanda, Tinau, Purbakhola and Mathagadhi.
The average annual production of potato in the district is about 11,000 metric tons and the productivity per hectare is 11 metric tons. It is estimated that about 11,060 metric tons of potato block program will be produced in Rampur Municipality-6 with the support of Agriculture Knowledge Center Palpa this year. Potato is being cultivated in an area of about 1,150 hectares in the district.
Shiva Prasad Aryal, head of the Agriculture Knowledge Center, Palpa, says that the farmers have cultivated potatoes this year as compared to the previous year due to the infection of Covid-19. He said that the subsidy has been provided as an incentive to the farmers cultivating potato in a large area. Under the block program, the office has provided grant assistance of Rs. 2.3 million for an area of about 600 Ropanis( local measurement unit ) in Rampur, Palpa.
"Potato is being cultivated in a large area in Rampur this year. As the small area will not be commercialized, the office is also providing grant assistance to the farmers to increase their income in a large area. If the farmers want to cultivate according to the standards, the office will help," said Chief Aryal.
One municipality one block program is being conducted in all the ten municipalities of the district this year. Among them, potato farming in Rampur municipality, orange in Nisdi village, ginger in Purbakhola and Baganaskali villages, paddy in Mathagadhi and Tinau villages, vegetable farming in Rainadevi Chhahra and Ribdikot villages and cattle breeding in Tansen municipality have been selected.
The Rambha village municipality initially said that the program would be conducted as a block for lychees, but as it will be a block program for other crops instead of lychees, it is in the process of crop selection, said the Agriculture Knowledge Center, Palpa.
In the course of foreign employment, young people in different countries of the world are forced to return home unemployed due to the epidemic of covid infection. Even now, they are not in a position to return abroad as the infection of Covid has not decreased abroad. Therefore, young people are participating in some form of income for self-employment as well as making good use of this time.
Most of the youth are engaged in agriculture. In Palpa, various municipalities are also conducting such exemplary agricultural activities to attract other unemployed youth. This potato farming in Rampur is also an example. The youths who used to come to this potato farm have said that they are doing some exemplary agricultural work.
While every profession and business in the world has been affected due to corona, the youth of Rampur have opted for commercial potato farming as an alternative to foreign employment.
Twenty youths have started collective potato farming by establishing a group called Twenty Twenty in Vijaypur, Rampur Municipality-6. After returning to the village, the youths, who were affected by the epidemic in Corona while living in foreign employment, have turned the challenge into an opportunity to cultivate potatoes for income.
The youths have started cultivating potatoes by renting land of about 100 Ropani ( local measurement unit ) . Only young people who have returned to the village from foreign employment and are involved in various professions and businesses belong to the Twenty Group.
Encouraging potato farming, the ward office has provided 10 bags and Agriculture Knowledge Center Palpa has provided 100 bags of Janakdev and 50 percent seed grant of Cardinal variety. The potato farming started by the youth has also become exemplary. The number of people visiting and taking pictures after growing potatoes in the same area has also increased.
Badri Lamsal, a young man who returned to the village from Japan during the captivity of Covid-19, says that the youths have been working together to increase the identity of Rampur and increase their income.
"Covid has also added an energy to our youth. If it had not been for Covid's infection, it would have happened abroad. Now we have started working together in the village for work and price.
Young people who are forced to work eight to ten hours a day abroad are now engaged in agricultural work with enthusiasm as they are able to work independently with their families.
Santosh Devkota, a young man returning from employment in Korea, said that even though COVID-19 has a negative impact on health worldwide, it has created new agricultural opportunities for young people in villages like ours. The collective potato farming started by the youths from all walks of life has become a model. Various women's groups, mothers' groups and agricultural groups have also cultivated potatoes in the block area.
Uma Bhattarai of a self-reliant women's farming group has the experience of sharing experiences and learning new things through group work. The Vijaypur Agricultural Cooperative has provided fertilizer and seeds at the time of cultivation, which has made it easier for the farmers.
According to Yama Bahadur Bhujel, a ward member and program coordinator of the Twenty Twenty group, about 600 metric tonnes of potatoes will be produced in an area of 100 Ropanis ( local measurement unit) . Apart from seed subsidy, the youths have invested around Rs 600,000 for potato cultivation.
Commercial potato has been cultivated in an area of more than one thousand two hundred ropanis within a single ward. Potatoes planted in the same place have started flourishing with the help of Rampur Municipality-6 and Agriculture Knowledge Center Palpa.
Ward Chairman Humnath Neupane says that Ward No. 6 has been providing subsidy for seeds by emphasizing potato farming since last year under the One Ward One Product program of the municipality.
The Rampur Municipality has distributed five tonnes of potatoes to the farmers of the town with 50 percent subsidy through the agriculture branch with a budget of Rs 500,000. Five tons of potato seeds have been distributed in ward no. 6 of the potato block area with the assistance of Rs. 400,000 through the ward office.
Last year, potatoes were cultivated in an area of 3,000 Ropanis ( local measurement unit ) in Rampur Municipality, but this year, about 5,000 Ropanis ( local measurement unit) have been planted. Due to the block area, farmers have been cultivating potatoes by adding more area this year.
It is estimated that about 2,500 metric tonnes of potatoes will be produced in the municipality this year, said Ram Hari Pandey, Chief of Agriculture Branch of Rampur Municipality. Rampur Municipality is developing Ward No. 6 as a potato pocket area under the One Ward One Product Policy.
Farmer Yamakanti Gautam says that emphasis has been laid on potato production as the cold storage with a capacity of 300 metric tonnes has been constructed in Rampur Municipality.
Farmer Gautam, who produces the most seed potatoes in Rampur, produces 250 bags of seed potatoes annually. This year too, he has cultivated potatoes in an area of about 12 Ropanis ( local measurement unit) of improved varieties. He used to send the potato seeds produced in Rampur to Bhairahawa cold storage for storage. This time, Bhairahawa has brought potatoes kept in cold storage at a cost of Rs 40,000 and distributed them to farmers in Rampur.
Farmers have been cultivating with confidence this year as a cold storage with a large capacity has been constructed in Rampur in Palpa district. In the previous year, when the crop was produced, it used to suffer from storage problems.
Farmers have been cultivating a large area with the plan of keeping potatoes in the cold storage constructed at their doorsteps. Deputy Chief of Rampur Municipality Bishnu Devi Ghimire Acharya says that there is a plan to start this time by keeping the produced potatoes in new cold storage. As a large amount of potato is cultivated here, it will be easier for the farmers to store it.
Potato has been cultivated in some areas of Rampur of Palpa, Rainadevi Chhahra, Argali of Tansen, Dailatungphant of Baganaskali, Hungi of Rambha, Khokkhola, Pipaldanda, Tinau, Purbakhola and Mathagadhi.
The average annual production of potato in the district is about 11,000 metric tons and the productivity per hectare is 11 metric tons. It is estimated that about 11,060 metric tons of potato block program will be produced in Rampur Municipality-6 with the support of Agriculture Knowledge Center Palpa this year. Potato is being cultivated in an area of about 1,150 hectares in the district.
Shiva Prasad Aryal, head of the Agriculture Knowledge Center, Palpa, says that the farmers have cultivated potatoes this year as compared to the previous year due to the infection of Covid-19. He said that the subsidy has been provided as an incentive to the farmers cultivating potato in a large area. Under the block program, the office has provided grant assistance of Rs. 2.3 million for an area of about 600 Ropanis( local measurement unit ) in Rampur, Palpa.
"Potato is being cultivated in a large area in Rampur this year. As the small area will not be commercialized, the office is also providing grant assistance to the farmers to increase their income in a large area. If the farmers want to cultivate according to the standards, the office will help," said Chief Aryal.
One municipality one block program is being conducted in all the ten municipalities of the district this year. Among them, potato farming in Rampur municipality, orange in Nisdi village, ginger in Purbakhola and Baganaskali villages, paddy in Mathagadhi and Tinau villages, vegetable farming in Rainadevi Chhahra and Ribdikot villages and cattle breeding in Tansen municipality have been selected.
The Rambha village municipality initially said that the program would be conducted as a block for lychees, but as it will be a block program for other crops instead of lychees, it is in the process of crop selection, said the Agriculture Knowledge Center, Palpa.
In the course of foreign employment, young people in different countries of the world are forced to return home unemployed due to the epidemic of covid infection. Even now, they are not in a position to return abroad as the infection of Covid has not decreased abroad. Therefore, young people are participating in some form of income for self-employment as well as making good use of this time.
Most of the youth are engaged in agriculture. In Palpa, various municipalities are also conducting such exemplary agricultural activities to attract other unemployed youth. This potato farming in Rampur is also an example. The youths who used to come to this potato farm have said that they are doing some exemplary agricultural work.
