Village Model Farmer as a Complete Local Resource Person

Village Model Farmer as a Complete Local Resource Person

Dip Kumari Rai 53 an active Village Model Farmer in NechaSalyan Rural Municipality lives with husband and 2 sons and 3 daughters in Nechabetghari. She is being involved in growing different vegetables and raising nursery of different vegetable like cabbage, cauliflower, chilli and tomato. She gets help from her husband in the household work and field activities. Her daughter-in-law was 1000 days mother during Suaahara I. Her involvements in social work inspire her to become Village Model Farmer (VMF) in Suaahara I.

Before Suaahara, she was unaware about the proper ways of vegetable growing and raising nursery subsequently her production was lower and only for home consumption. After training from Suaahara, she gained more knowledge, skills and confidence for farming. She has also adopted new technology of vegetable cultivation, nursery raising and bio-pesticide preparation. She has expanded her area of vegetable cultivation and transformed herself into a commercial farmer. She has constructed the plastic tunnels for tomato cultivation and plastic pond in coordination with Agriculture Service Center (ASC). She sells the produces in the nearby BihibareHaat. She earns four and fifteen thousand rupees per month from the sale of vegetables and its seedlings.

She changed herself and the community. It was thought that Rai community should not rear poultry birds due to some cultural barriers. Later, it has been changed and she started rearing poultry birds for the nutrition of her grandson and daughter-in-law. Now she is planning to re-construct the poultry coop for more number of birds.

Dip Kumari Rai is suffering from heart problem. Despite her health condition, she is actively involved in farming. She states, "I have done little, but lot more to do, health condition has restricted me to do so''. She has joined Shrijanshil Krishak Mahila Samuha having 15 members including 1000 days mothers. She encourages the 1000 days mothers and other members in the group with the training she has received from Suaahara. Initially, there was a group of only male in her community. After training from Suaahara, she has formed female group named Shrijanshil Krishak Mahila Samuha registered in DADO where they have started saving and credit. Group has constructed Plastic Pond for irrigation during dry periods. All group members get seedling from her in lower price.

Dip Kumari states, "I have encouraged and motivated the group members for group cultivation by constructing Poly House in my own field and requested ASC for more Poly House for the group''. Last year, she was selected to participate in 10 days Local Resource Person Development Training. Due to her health condition, she recommended the Chairperson of her group named Sarmila Rai for LRP training. She states, "I am ageing and my health condition is not supportive, taking trainings only is not a good idea as I can't share the contents of the training to the group members, so I have sent Sarmila Rai''.

She thanked Suaahara Program for continuous support and training, changing dietary behavior of community and empowering women through group approach.

Collected By: Arjun Subedi, HFPMO, Suaahara II Program, Solukhumbu