February 23: Local farmers of Beni have started potato farming in the land that had remained barren for the past 20 years at Mareni of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality-2 in Myagdi district. A group of farmers associated with the Lagansheel Multipurpose Farmers' Group has cultivated potatoes in 44 ropanis of land by removing shrubs.    
A total of 18 farmers associated with the group have commercially engaged in the farming, said the group's chairperson Gausara BK.    
The group is at work to expand the cultivation to 100 ropanis of land at Mareni, Paireni and Lamsung this year, said BK, adding that the farmers have planted seed potato by taking 44 ropanis of land on lease at Mareni.    
Potato farming is done in the pocket area for potato programme launched by the rural municipality, said Amrit Thapa, technical assistant at the agriculture section of the rural municipality.

"The land that remained barren for long has been properly utilized with the cultivating of potato. Local farmers have been encouraged to continue farming. It will help generate income for them," he said.    
The rural municipality has allocated Rs 1.2 million under the programme in the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23).    
The local government will provide Rs 600,000 each to the selected applicants under the programme, said the agriculture section. -- RSS