SATV, Kathmandu, July. 09 - With the increasing use of chemical pesticides beginning to affect human health and the environment, farmers in Dang have started shifting towards the use of Jholmal (liquid organic manure/pesticide) and other bio-pesticides.

The ‘Vegetable Value Chain through Developing Competitive Capacity of Rural Women’ project, implemented by the Rural Women Upliftment Centre with support from Heifer International Nepal, has encouraged farmers to adopt modern and environmentally friendly farming practices. Through farmers’ business schools, technical support and market management assistance provided under the project, farmers have been increasingly successful in commercial vegetable farming.

Uma Devi Chaudhary of Satbariya, Lamahi Municipality-8, transformed her traditional farming into a commercial venture after receiving training through the project. She currently cultivates bitter gourd, tomatoes, beans, bottle gourd, pumpkin, cucumber and other vegetables on 20 katthas of land, earning annual sales of around Rs. 1.5 million to Rs. 2 million. She said following a crop calendar and producing vegetables according to market demand has helped her receive better prices and increased her enthusiasm for farming.

Similarly, Phul Maya Chaudhary of Sonpur, Lamahi Municipality-2, has significantly reduced the use of chemical pesticides after adopting modern farming techniques along with Jholmal, vermicompost and improved compost manure.

“I have realised that using bio-pesticides not only protects my health but also ensures the safety of consumers,” she said. She has so far earned around Rs. 100,000 from the sale of tomatoes produced inside a plastic tunnel house. Her field is currently filled with thriving bean crops.

Punam Gharti Magar of Banghursi, Lamahi Municipality-7, has also made vegetable farming her main source of income by applying the knowledge gained from the farmers’ business school. She currently cultivates tomatoes, bitter gourd and beans on four katthas of land and supplies around 300 kg of tomatoes to the market every week. 

The Deepan Social Entrepreneur Women’s Cooperative, led by her, has also been facilitating collective marketing of produce from member farmers.

Jholmal is a liquid organic solution prepared from locally available plant materials, cattle urine, dung, water and other natural resources.

“It provides nutrients to plants and also helps control diseases and pests,” said Himal Khadka, project coordinator at the Rural Women Upliftment Centre. “Bio-pesticides are natural pesticides prepared from plants or microorganisms, which help reduce the use of chemical pesticides and promote safe production.”

He said the Integrated Agriculture and Livestock Value Chain (IALVC) project has been continuously supporting farmers in commercial vegetable farming, the use of Jholmal and bio-pesticides, vermicompost production and market management.

According to Khadka, technical, technological and institutional support has been provided to farmers through coordination with eight cooperatives, two in Ghorahi Sub-Metropolitan City, four in Lamahi Municipality, one in Gadhawa Rural Municipality and one in Triveni Rural Municipality of Salyan.