--By Gaurav Aryal

 

A few decades back, Prem Bahadur Lama, founder of Ashapuri Organic Farm did not have the faintest idea that he will be actively involved in organic farming. Back then he exported handicrafts and Nepali paper, but a health problem inspired him to completely change his profession. While in his 50s, he was diagnosed with ulcer and a weak immunity system. Even after being under medication for 3-4 years, his health did not improve much. As the modern medicines were proving ineffective in improving his health, he started consuming foods that did not contain pesticides and chemicalfertilizers. This proved beneficial. Lama says that consumption of organic foods for around six months brought substantial improvements in his health condition.

 

He had some ancestral property in Sanga and this is where he started producing organic vegetables. It was mainly for self-consumption initially and he shared the excess products with his friends and relatives. They liked the taste of vegetables but had little idea of their health benefits. This coincided with growing awareness about the health benefits of organic vegetables and the corresponding rise in demand for them in the local market as well.  Lama was quick in perceiving this situation and started producing organic vegetables commercially.

 

Commercial production

Lama had started commercial organic farming 12 years ago in 100 ropanis of land in Sanga. Production and marketing were challenging jobs in the initial phase. He launched campaigns for market development and product promotion. As a part of the market extension, he started weekly sales of organic vegetables from 1095 Restaurant in Kantipath. Recently, Organic and Health Food Centre is also established at Uttardhoka. Similarly, around a dozen restaurants in Kathmandu valley are using his products.

 

Now, Lama cultivates organic vegetables and other crops, like sticky rice, in 200 ropanis of Land in Sanga. He and his friends have expanded network of organic farming in nine districts namely Kavrepalanchowk, Bhaktapur, Dolakha, Nawalparasi, Sindhuli, Baglung, Kathmandu, Gorkha and Sindhupalchowk. They have been doing organic farming in Melamchi (100 ropanis), Bhaktapur (35 ropanis) and recently have started in Nawalparasi with preparations to starting farming in Dolakha too in the near future. As of now, organic farming is done in around 700 ropanis of land in different geographical and climatic conditions. The variety in climatic zones, he informed, make it possible to produce a variety of vegetables and crops that suit the local weather.

 

This network produces 200 to 300 kilograms of organic vegetables, fruits and herbs in average every day. He says that the production looks quite small as a variety of crops are being cultivated along with herbs and spices, which contribute to small production size. Lama is planning to upscale the production. “As the cost of transportation is very high, earning profit is not possible without producing in larger scale,” explains Lama.

 

Export market

Despite the growth in the number local consumers, Lama says, majority of consumers are foreigners living in Nepal. While stating that the local market is gradually growing, he claims that international market has huge market potentials for organic products. 

 

To harness the export market potentials, Lama is planning to begin production of organic crops in Dumja of Sindhuli in an area spread over 100 ropanis after Dashain. Products produced here will be exported to Russia, he says. According to Lama, selection of crops will be based on the demands made. Similarly, he has plans to produce herbs for exporting to Germany in Nawalparasi. His farm is producing herbal tea using organic red mushroom. It has been receiving good response within the country and Lama informed that it would be exported to Germany from this September. Likewise, Japanese restaurants in Delhi are also showing interests to purchase organic crops and vegetables produced by Ashapuri Organic Farm.

 

Training and support programmes

Following interests from farmers into organic farmer, Lama is planning to provide formal training to aspiring farmers from this year. Elaborating on the factor behind such initiative, he claims that existing training institutes’ curriculum is out-dated due to which they are being not able to train farmers on latest organic farming techniques. Presently construction of the training centre is underway and he expects to start training within next 5-6 months. Lama says that informally he has always remained ready and open to provide market information and technical guidelines, saplings and seeds to aspiring farmers for starting organic farming. 

 

Along, he says that he also provides investments to farmers while also sharing profit from the sales of the organic products. The Nawalparasi farm, he informed, is a community based farming model. While receivingwages for their labour, they are paid rent for their leased land. Lama says that Ashapuri Organic Farm has created around 300 direct employments. Local youths and students in Sanga are working in the organic farm and this has contributed to bring social and economic changes in their lives.

 

Plans

Lama believes thatNepali agriculture must be totally organic to compete with the commercial farming of India and China. He says that it is only the high value agricultural productions that Nepal will get extra edge in competition. 

 

Along with expansion of the organic farm network to start the production on large scale, he has plans to set up a food-processing unit in Kathmandu. Raw materials produced in Bhaktapur, Dolakha and Baglung and other districts will be brought here to prepare process food products. Along with Ashapuri, local farmers too will have ownership on the factory. Lama says that the factory will start production by the end of this year.