The Journey Toward Sustainable Agricultural Livelihoods

In Birendranagar-2, Surkhet, 30-year-old Pashupati Rawat is transforming her life through commercial vegetable farming and inspiring other women in her community. Once struggling with limited technical knowledge and business skills, she cultivated vegetables on seven kattha of leased land using traditional methods, earning too little to support her family.

Her journey changed after joining the Skill Up Project in March 2025, where she became Chairperson of the Sundari Farmer Field School (FFS) Group. Through the FFS, she received practical training, technical guidance, and regular mentoring on climate-smart agriculture and commercial vegetable production. She gained skills in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), soil fertility and nursery management, organic farming, improved cultivation techniques, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, and Digital & Business Literacy. Using GeoKrishi, she now accesses timely digital advisory services that help her make informed farming decisions.

Her entrepreneurial journey further accelerated after participating in the Vegetable Enterprise Incubation Program at Madi Prangarik Krishi Farm, Chitwan. The training strengthened her knowledge of commercial vegetable production, including eco-friendly inputs such as Bokashi manure, jhol-mal, bio-pesticides, crop management, and IPM practices.

Today, Pashupati manages Pashupati Agriculture and Livestock-Poultry Farm on seven kattha of leased land, paying NPR 40,000 annual rent. By applying the knowledge and technologies gained through the project, she has significantly improved the productivity and management of her enterprise. Her farm now produces a wide range of vegetables, including Krcucumber, bitter gourd, pumpkin, bottle gourd, snake gourd, ridge gourd, sponge gourd, chili, brinjal, and okra.

Within a short period of three months, she sold vegetables worth approximately NPR 190,000, demonstrating how improved farming practices, better enterprise management, and informed market decisions can substantially increase farmers' incomes. Before joining the Skill Up! Project, she cultivated vegetables on 2 to 3 kattha of land, generating an annual income of only NPR 30,000 to 40,000.

"Through agriculture, I am improving my family's well-being. The income from my farm helps support my family and pay NPR 7,000 per month for my children's private school education," says Pashupati. "With knowledge, technology, and determination, agriculture can become a profitable and dignified profession."

Story and Photo: Him Raj Adhikari, Archan Gautam