Forty seven year old Ganesh Prashad Bhusal from Sandhikharka, Arghakhanchi started growing vegetables on rented land in Chitawan after he quit Journalism 11 years ago. Today he saves a whopping one and a half million Rupees every year from his Vegetables Enterprise and provides employment to other 46 persons. All by growing vegetables. Young aspirants from all over the country visit his set up to see his operations and learn from his expertise and experience.
Trends in Argo-Entrepreneurship
The majority of Nepali families depend upon agriculture for their livelihood. And we must add that the vast majority of that agriculture is of subsistence type. But times are changing. With the influence of education and the wave of entrepreneurship that is sweeping this nation, be it a village or a metropolis, agricultural entrepreneurship is the new trend. Families are increasing their capabilities through professional agriculture: education in good schools/ colleges for the children and savings for future use are now a reality for a greater number of farmers. With vibrant agriculture, villages are being transformed by agriculture like never before.
There is a lot of diversity in what farmers are generally doing. From the common cauliflowers, cucumbers, potatoes, tomatoes, and mushroom to the kiwis, yakuns and pauloniya they are growing them all. And they are growing flowers. Similarly from poultry, Boer goats, pigs, buffaloes, and Holestein cows to ostriches and turkeys they are rearing them all. And then they are also keeping bees and trouts. In agriculture, now, there is a chance and a choice.
Can the West catch up?
The agricultural enterprise culture is now well established in eastern and central Nepal. However, fewer such initiatives being taken in the western hills. Government, Non Governmental Organizations and the educated population from this region have the responsibility of promoting agricultural setups in this region.
Untapped
One agricultural produce that is missing in this entrepreneurial drive is that of medicinal herbs. With the rise in life expectancies and health expenditure all over the globe, there is a huge demand for medicinal herbs. Our country with such diverse climatic conditions can have a comparative advantage in the filed of research and production of such herbs which can provide enormous economic gains. 'Yarshaculture' is one such field which alone can improve the quality of thousands of lives of farmers in high hills and mountains.
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| Mission Yarsagumba! People from higher hills and mountains make risky trips higher up to pick the highly valued Cordiceps. (Image curtsey Surbindra Kumar Pun, Kantipur Media) |
Employment and Agriculture
As millions of youth continue to swarm into foreign labor markets; another set of determined hardworking youths are making millions at home. The majority of migrant workers who go to Malaysia or the Gulf (Arabian Nations) have to work under appalling conditions away from their families, for meager salaries. Agriculture has provided, the youth, the opportunity to work in their own villages, staying with their families and make handsome amounts of money.
As a considerable proportion of young workforce leaves the country, there is an acute shortage of manpower in the agriculture sector. However, the relation between foreign employment and agricultural entrepreneurship is not entirely exclusive. It is common to see a migrant worker return to his village, with respect for labour and some savings to start finally start his own agro-business. What we should be thinking before our youth go to work there is: Could he/she just take a loan from Agriculture Bank for minimal interest to acquire that investment capital?
Finally,
As more educated youths become interested in agriculture; efforts should be made so that the infrastructure and support systems for agriculture are available like motor-able roads linked to highways and feeder roads, agricultural banks providing cheap loans.
Agriculture has always been our traditional strength and the addition of entrepreneurial vigor to it has real potentials to energize our economy.
As we leave, we take a look at some videos which will make you ponder.
1. Here is one Frenchman who left Europe to work in Nepal. He rears cows and ducks. An Eye-opener!
2. A diligently compiled Two-Part BBC Nepali Service Documentary on Agricultural Entrepreneurs.
Inspiring!
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