Vegetable Farming Changed My Life

Hathani Tharuni, 35 years old single woman, is living with her two daughters in a landless settlement of Khaireni VDC of Chitwan district. Illiterate Hathani is solely responsible to feed her family after her husband death on an accident. She was grappling with poverty and wages made from labor is only means to solve hand to mouth problem of her family.

Program named “Efficient Land Management for Socio-economic Enhancement in Southern Nepal” implemented by MRC Nepal in the financial assistance of OPEC/OFID involved her in vegetable production group and motivated her to grow vegetable. Initially she was reluctant because she is nearly landless but finally she was convinced to grow vegetable even by taking a marginal wastage land at river bed on lease. Because these marginal land value less as compared to other land. Initially she took 3360m2 of land on rent and in technical and input support from MRC Nepal she grew Pea (Pisum sativum) on that land. Within four months period she was able to harvest 2450 kg of green pods from which she earned NRs.80,000 (equivalent to NRs.238,095 per Ha/ \$2700 per Ha). She never had this type of huge income before. After the success of first season crop she became excited and planning to take more land on rent to cultivate vegetable.

Income from vegetable was used for household expenses, loan installment repayment, education of children and health related expenses. “Support provided by OFID/MRC Nepal is boon for me”, she expressed in a smiling face. She further added, “This type of support should be continued until we became self-reliance then our life will be transformed into dignified family.”