Niroj Pradhan: Local hero

In 1995, when floods swept away the rice fields of farmers in Palung, Makwanpur, most farmers left the village in search of new jobs in the capital or the Gulf. But Niroj Pradhan, 34, who was 18 back then, started searching for his destiny in the very flood ruins.



“Everyone in the village was hopeless as they didn’t see how they could start cultivating rice again,” Niroj says. “I thought of an alternative – to start growing vegetables.” [break]



He then gathered some youngsters and initiated cauliflower and cabbage farming. Hard work and patience reaped them good produce; but misfortune struck again in 2000, infecting their cauliflower harvest.



But Pradhan and his strong-willed friends did not back out and started cultivating eggplant, chili and other vegetables instead.



“Other villagers also followed our example,” Niroj says. “Eventually, the vegetable farming got better and our income increased.”



In 2005, Niroj formed a farmers’ group from which they would borrow and lend money for more modern farming methods. Around that time, they also decided to start off-season farming for additional income.







Later, with the shares of 400 farmer families, the group formed the Palung Off-Season Vegetable Farmers’ Cooperative Association which has been providing better seeds and medicines for cultivation.



“The Association also provides a sort of insurance for the vegetables. It guarantees Rs 15,000 as compensation for one ropani of land in case a season’s produce is damaged,” says Niroj.



Starting this year, they are also cultivating off-season tomatoes using tunnel method.



“Tomatoes sold at Rs 3 per kg during the peak season are sold at Rs 30 when it’s off season and it’s similar with other vegetables.”



With Niroj’s leadership, Palung has now become a vegetable supplier to not just Kathmandu but the entire Terai as well. “Eight to ten trucks of vegetables leave here everyday,” he says.



Since the income level of the local people in Palung has increased, he says, less people now opt for overseas jobs. The positive effects have also spread over the neighboring Daman village, and now a total of 25,000 people directly benefit from vegetable farming.



For having planted hope and bringing prosperity to the villagers despite dire situations, Niroj was also acknowledged as “Local Hero” by Radio Sagarmatha in a program three weeks ago.

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