An Approach to Make Bhadaure an Organic Village
Animal shed improvement
Preparation of Jhol mol
Bhadaure is one of the beautiful homestay village of Kaski district (1651 masl). The majority of the people are Gurung followed by Brahmin/Chhetri and Dalits. This place is rich in ecological biodiversity. The scene of beautiful Himalayans (Macchapuchhre, Dhawlagiri and Annapurna), mountains, waterfalls and Phewa tal is seen from this place. Agriculture is the main occupation of the people over here. However some youth have gone abroad in the search of good job opportunity. People grow agronomical crops like millet, wheat, maize, rice as well as different vegetables and fruits also.
People of this village started an organic farming. After the intervention of PEACE program villagers are aware of organic farming and its importance. Series of orientation training has given to the villagers so as to provide knowledge about the importance of animal shed improvement, FYM improvement, making organic pesticide. “In order to give training of organic farming, a well renowned trainer Mr. Govinda Sharma was hired and almost all the households were participated in that training” says Mr. Guna Kumar Shrestha the co-coordinator of MDO/PEACE. Now day’s farmers increased the areas under vegetable cultivation as well as diversification of vegetables. Those community people who use to buy vegetables from the vendor and nearby market of Pokhara are now cultivating the surplus seasonal and off seasonal vegetables in their own farm. The produced vegetables not only meet the demand of local market but are also supplied to the market of Pokhara. People who used to grow mostly millet, wheat, maize are now focused on vegetable cultivation. “The production as well as income by growing vegetables has increased in the same piece of land where maize was grown” says a farmer Mandhoj Gurung.
PEACE Program has supported to improve the animal shed, organic farming practices, home garden establishment, established demonstration of FYM improvements, making organic pesticides. Farmers successfully adopted this practice in scale up. More than 200 households improved animal shed and provided thatches in the manure pit to improve quality of FYM to reduce nutrient loss from leaching and sun drying. Now day’s farmers make the organic pesticide (Jhol mol) by themselves and use it in the vegetables. The use of organic pesticide (Jhol mol) is found to be effective to minimize the incidence of insect/pest. Many farmers reported that the production increased by using animal urine in the vegetables. Manju Gurung says, “After animal shed improvement the urine is collected in collected in different tank and used in the vegetables daily. As the amount of urea is high it provides enough nitrogen need for the plant which helps to grow it quickly. This helped in decreasing the external input and the expenses used in buying fertilizers have been cut off completely as well as enhances soil quality and fertility status.”
Beside the effort of PEACE program, the high altitude and the cool environment of the place favors the organic farming. “The demand of organic vegetables produced in the Bhadaure is high in the market of Pokhara”, says the local entrepreneur Gajendra Poudel.
Now day’s farmers are growing tomatoes in more than 75 tunnels. With the provision of plastic tunnels farmers started to grow off seasonal vegetables. “Diversification in the vegetables is increased within the period of 3 years” says Guna Kumar Shrestha the co-coordinator of MDO/PEACE. Vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, broadleaf mustard, carrot, coriander, radish, onion, garlic, peas etc. are grown by using organic pesticides. The group of farmers participated in the 8th organic festival, were awarded a first prize. In the collaboration of DADO a collection center is under construction. With the empowerment of Panchadham Krishi Sahakari farmers have planned to step ahead in commercialization of vegetable farming. Almost households are involved in groups and motivated towards organic farming.
