Inspiring Change Through Vegetable Farming

 Puran Rana, a 27-year-old youth from Krishnapur Municipality-9, Pachdhaki, once faced the daily hardships of rural poverty. Life was a constant challenge in a joint family of eight members, where the primary source of income, traditional paddy and wheat farming, barely sustained them. Due to limited income, even purchasing basic vegetables was difficult, and accessing nutritious food remained a rare luxury. For years, Puran saw little hope of becoming financially independent. He had no exposure to modern farming techniques and had never considered cultivating vegetables on his own barren land. Everything changed when Puran became a member of the Hariyali Farmer Field School Group under the Skill Up! Project. Through this initiative, he participated in Leader Farmer Training, where he gained hands-on knowledge about improved agricultural practices.

During the training, Puran learned practical Skills in seed selection, nursery preparation, organic bio-fertilizer production (such as Jhol Mal), integrated Pest Management (IPM) tools, and the importance of maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet.

From cultivation to market, Puran Rana's successful brinjal harvest highlights his journey as a resilient and enterprising vegetable farmer.. He received vegetable seeds and bio-fertilizer kits from the project, which enabled him to start vegetable farming. He also completed a 60-day commercial vegetable farming training where he acquired practical skills in improved cultivation, climate-smart techniques, seasonal crop management, pest control, organic practices, and market-oriented farming, along with business, life, and digital skills. After the short course training, he received a business starter kit, including a digital weighing scale and water delivery pipe, to support his enterprise.

Later, by participating in Vegetable Enterprise Incubation Program conducted at Madi Prangarik Krishi Farm, Chitwan, organized by the Skill Up project, he observed advanced agriculture methods and developed entrepreneurial skills through hands on training in advance vegetable production, nursery management, irrigation, pest management, climate smart and organic farming practices, post–harvest handling and organic fertilizer preparation. “I have successfully applied the techniques I learned on my own farm, and now I share this knowledge to motivate and train other group members as well,” he says

Motivated and better equipped, Puran began cultivating vegetables on his once-unused land. Within months, his fields transformed into a vibrant patch of green, flourishing with crops such as gourd, pumpkin, bitter g “I have earned around NPR 650,000 from selling different vegetables over the past rainy and winter seasons. My family's diet has improved because we now eat fresh vegetables every day. I am also happy that young people from nearby communities visit my farm to learn from my experience,” Puran shares.

“Looking ahead, I intend to further expand my farming activities by adopting tunnel farming to enable off-season crop production and improve overall yield. I am also committed to training other young people, sharing the knowledge and skills that have significantly transformed my life,” he adds.

Story Collection and Finalization & Photo

Archana Ggautam and Ramkishan Chaudhary