An agent of change,Mr. Boyalal Mukhiya who owns Mukhiya Fish Farm has come a long way to become a pioneer in commercial fish production. Mr. Mukhiya received support from Agricultural Development Bank Limited in the form of subsidized loan to expand his business. Mukhiya Fish Farm which has been providing employment to around 25 youth of the local community and has become a powerful tool of poverty reduction in the local area and is an inspiration for the youth seeking to earn their livelihood through agribusiness in Nepal.
D & D Bio Plantechwhich is established and managed by Mr. Dilliraj Upreti and his wife Mrs. Diksha Upreti in Mechinagar, Jhapa has not only become a reputed nursery and fruit farm but also has become a symbol of togetherness for the couple. Dilliraj, who went to work in the Middle East spend 8 arduous years there returned to Nepal to start his own business and Agricultural Development Bank Limited supported him in his endeavors. Brimming with self-confidence and a zeal to succeed, Mr. Upreti even went against the conventional practice of growing watermelon on riverbanks and sandy land only. The Upreti couple is also an example of how agribusiness has the potential to replace foreign employment as a source of livelihood in Nepal.
Tikapur, a small town in Kailali the far western district of Nepal which is renowned for banana plantations is home to a young farmer named Mr. Tekendra Dhami, who grows banana on his plantation which is spread over 8 hectares of land. Besides cultivating banana on his land, Mr. Dhami also has a prosperous banana nursery business. A firm believer in innovation, he has introduced drip irrigation in banana farming in the area and is also a pioneer of tissue culture and the use of bio-fertilizers as the replacement of chemical fertilizers. Mr. Tekendra Dhami has received support from Agricultural Development Bank Limited to expand his commercial agriculture and Mr. Dhami's Subham Agro Farm has become a synonymous with how agriculture can be a lucrative career option and a source of employment for the locals.
S.K. Goat Farm established by two brothers, Sandeep Khanal and Sanjay Khanal in Rupandehi District of Nepal is an example of how agriculture has become an attractive occupation for the youth. Mr. Sandeep, an IT engineer, quit his job to start S.K. Goat Farm and manages it and along with his brother Sanjay, who is a management graduate. The brother duo have even designed a website to provide remote business services besides technical services to farmers by linking them with highly qualified veterinary doctors. Pioneers in goat farming, they also introduced the innovative practice of feeding silage to the goats marking a move away from the traditional goad feeding practices. Their silage plant which was initially established to meet the needs of their own farm has grown to become one of Nepal's leading silage companies. Agricultural Development Bank Limited provided support to enable these brothers fulfill their dream of achieving synergy between innovation and technology to help agribusiness commercially viable.
Mr. Bhupendra Bhattarai started Hari Agriculture and Livestock center in 2018 as a traditional poultry farm. With support from his sons, Vivek and Hari, he has been able to use technology to reduce the cost of production and increase productivity. With the support from Agricultural Development Bank Limited, Mr. Bhupendra has expanded his poultry business to include pheasant, goats, local chicken, turkey and quail. Mr. Bhupendra has also started a restaurant which operates completely on local products to promote agro tourism. His agriculture and livestock center has been a model farm whose example can be replicated in any part of the country. Businesses of this kind with an assortment of agricultural activities have potential to boost agro tourism.
Mr. Khambir Dhakal, who started Panchadip Poultry Farm with 500 layers of chickens in 1993, has now expanded it to 32 thousand layers. Adopting the concept of integrated value chain, he has also started a grinding mill, feed business and raises cattle and pigs. Mr. Dhakal's sons have also engaged themselves in the farm and have bought modernization and commercialization to the business started by their father. Agricultural Development Bank Limited provided support to expand his agribusiness. Panchadip Poultry Farm Pvt. Ltd. has been an example of how commercial agribusiness can be a lucrative career option.