They had then striven in different callings before finally settling on a common dream project four months ago -- a farm of their own.[break]
The moderate facility covering a rented swath of five ropanis in Duwakot-5 has 7,000 chickens, and has been named ´Six Brothers Farm´. The farm is to grow by the same acerage very soon to expand into organic vegetables and fishery.
Attracted by soaring profits, educated youths in the suburbs of the capital are falling back on the calling that supposedly engages the biggest chunk of Nepal´s population: farming. They are bucking the commonly seen trend among youths of opting for while-collar jobs rather than soiling their hands on farms.
Binaya Neupane, a software developer, Dipesh Paudel, electronics engineer, Dhiraj Neupane, accountant, Sourav Nepal, also an accountant, Pradeep Khanal, event manager, and Surjan Acharya, jeweler and former armyman, have recently tasted the fruits of indigenous entreprise, releasing a first lot of 3,000 full-grown chickens. Following initial progress with the project, Binaya, Dhiraj and Surjan have started devoting full time to the farm and, they say, the remaining three will follow suit given the targeted success.
Six Brothers is now in the spotlight in this beautiful suburb -- some 14 kilometers from the capital--which has over a few years witnessed
dramatic revitalization in agriculture at the hands of youths. This phenomenon has sprung up in a situation where youths would look down on agriculture as something their parents never wanted them to pursue.
Out of around 100 households in Neupanegaon that stretches across some 1.5 kilometers covering parts of Duwakot-5, Jhaukhel-4 and Changu-8, over 50 are into poultry farming at small and medium scale, and almost all have turned their family farms around. Most importantly, the youths seem to be directly involved in the endeavor.
The rejuvenation has made traditional family farming into a strong turn-on and also triggered commercialization to a considerable extent. It has helped the local economy.
“It is solely my initiative. It is no longer a marginal activity but the mainstay of my family,” said Dinesh Khanal, 30, an administrative staffer at Nepal Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd. He has created a niche for himself among the neo-farmers as someone who loves experimenting with new seeds and corps. He is now testing a new breed of asparagus named Jersey King. He introduced commercial hog plum (lapsi) planting in his neighborhood last year under the government´s ´One Village One Product´ program.
Dinesh has been earning a stable income since last year from his farm with 700 chickens. Unlike many others planning to expand their poultry farming, he is preparing to rear pigs. “It will hopefully be very beneficial. Pigs live on scrap and waste from poultry farms and we have those aplenty,” he said. “We need to diversify.”
Agriculture has changed the choices for youths. Harihar Dhungana would have mostly loved to jockey new bikes with friends, apart from helping with his father´s law firm. Lately, he has started a vegetable farm on five ropanis in Jhaukhel-4. “I had never even touched a farming tool before starting this farm,” the 25-year-old management student said. “Agriculture is no joke, and I have learned that it´s very labor-intensive. But it is satisfying and pays off for sure.”
“There is an agricultural revolution in our village,” said Anup Neuapane, 25, one of a few youngsters who pioneered poultry farming here seven years ago. “Earlier, people and even family members used to chide me for not trying for a government job. However, I am now very happy to see others follow in my footsteps."
“I believe people are convinced that wise cultivation of whatever land they have spares them the need to hanker after petty jobs," he said. “I hope parents would not discourage their children if they choose to take up agriculture.”
Agricultural growth has also opened up other enterprising options. Deepak Khatri has been running a veterinary and agro store, besides his own poultry farm and vegetable garden. His younger brother Madan´s meat shop takes in a large amount of locally produced chickens. Vegetable stores have cut down massively on imports from bazars in Kathmandu.
Sujan Kumar Neupane, president of Surakchhya Savings and Credit Limited run by local youths, said the organization has already invested around Rs 5 million for agricultural purposes over the last two years. “Our clients are small and medium scale farmers, basically youths, “he said. “Now we are looking forward to investing in agro-technologies.”
“Youth clients seriously involved in both family and commercial farming have clean records. That means they are doing well financially,” he said. "This trend has spread to neighboring villages also."
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