Cookie Consent by Privacy Policies website Update cookies preferences
BLOG

A youth champion for climate-resilient agriculture in western Nepal

At a time when many young people are abandoning agriculture, young farmer Bindu Sahi inspires others to seek simple and innovative solutions to farming challenges.
Published: 04 Oct, 2023
|
⏲ 6 minutes Read

Bindu Sahi, a 23-year-old from Birendranagar, a city in Surkhet District, western Nepal, cycles from home to home through her community selling vegetables from her family farm. While engaging with her customers, she also shares the story of her family’s success with climate-resilient farming practices, and the importance of sustainable agriculture in the face of climate change.

Surkhet District is grappling with the adverse effects of climate change. Changing rainfall patterns and increasing temperatures are affecting agriculture, making it difficult for farmers to sustain their livelihoods and plan their crops. Furthermore, a heating climate is making more hospitable conditions for crop pests and diseases that were not previously a problem. This is particularly daunting for smallholder farmers like Bindu, whose family relies on agriculture.

“I remember a time when my family had an abundant harvest, which we would share with our neighbours. But now, production has been steadily declining. Irregular and unpredictable rainfall and new pests and diseases forced us to resort to chemical pesticides and fertilisers. Despite this, production was barely enough to meet our needs”, she shares. Bindu, who lives with her parents and seven siblings, helps her parents with their 0.2 acre of land – all while pursuing a Master’s degree in health science.

To farm or not to farm?

Bindhu Sashi working with her father in the farm
Bindhu Sashi working with her father in the farm

Although Bindu has a deep love for farming, her father believes agriculture offers no prospects for a successful future. Existing socio-economic challenges such as limited access to finance, technology and markets, poor infrastructure, and widespread poverty make it difficult for families like Bindu’s to make a living from agriculture. Adapting to climate change impacts adds another challenge. However, Bindu’s unwavering determination to support her parents compelled her to seek innovative solutions to their farming challenges.

Discovering climate-resilient agriculture

Bindhu Sashi sharing information on CRA technologies with visitors to her farm
Bindhu Sashi sharing information on CRA technologies with visitors to her farm

Representing her father, Bindu attended the first meeting of the Green Resilient Agriculture Productive Ecosystems (GRAPE) project as a member of the local Langansil Farmers’ Group, officially registered with Birendranagar municipality. The group, which is focused on the production of seasonal vegetables, comprises 27 local farmers, of which 24 are women and 3 are men. It was in this meeting that Bindu learned about climate-resilient agriculture (CRA), which is based on simple, affordable, Nature-based Solutions and aims to increase people’s capacity to adapt climate change.

Bindu attended the demonstrations and actively participated in the training events focusing on CRA practices. These practices included drip irrigation, which is water-efficient, and the use of biological pest control and biofertilisers. ICIMOD’s particular focus in the GRAPE project is on ‘action research’, which emphasises participatory research conducted with, for, and by people. It involves cycles of action and reflection, and aims to enable change through innovation and demonstrating proven solutions. Through this approach, the project enables farmers, like Bindu, to actively engage in the research process and see the tangible impact of CRA practices.

Thriving harvests

Bindu has implemented some CRA practices in her family farm, which have significantly improved productivity. She has constructed a pond for greywater – this is domestic wastewater generated in households from sinks, showers, or baths but not from toilets; Bindu uses the greywater for irrigation. By reutilising wastewater, and not having to rely only on rainwater or spring water, and by using environmentally friendly biopesticides and biofertilisers instead of harmful and expensive chemical products, these practices have strengthened her family’s resilience to climate shocks and change.

Bindhu Sashi harvesting vegetables in her farm
Bindhu Sashi harvesting vegetables in her farm

She has also installed different lures and traps for pest control, which attract and trap pests through the use of colours and the scent of female insects. Bindu also prepared and used jholmol – homemade biofertilisers and biopesticides. Jholmol are not only cost-effective but also eco-friendly, mitigating the need for expensive and environmentally damaging chemical fertilisers and pesticides (https://lib.icimod.org/record/35011). In addition, she used ‘Vermiwash’ spray to control nutrient deficiencies in the plants – a nutrient-rich liquid made as a byproduct of vermicomposting, or worm composting, whereby earthworms aerate the soil, digest organic matter and produce castings that are a valuable source of humus.

These practices have also increased Bindu’s family’s household income: in April 2023, the family generated nearly NPR 30,000 (approximately USD 225) in revenue selling seasonal vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Most of these vegetables are sold in the family’s home city of Birendranagar.

Bindhu Sashi explaining to visitors how the light trap works
Bindhu Sashi explaining to visitors how the light trap works

Inspiring change in the community

Eager to share her success, Bindu often invites other farmers to visit her farm, where the GRAPE project has established a community learning centre. Her goal is to raise awareness among fellow farmers about simple solutions that help mitigate climate change impacts. She frequently assists neighbouring farmers in adopting these techniques.

Bindu’s passion and dedication have inspired others to embrace sustainable farming practices. “I was unsure about using biopesticides and traps to control pests on my farm because I had always relied on chemical pesticides. But when I visited Bindu's farm and saw the incredible results first-hand, my doubts vanished. The biopesticides and traps she used were incredibly effective in controlling insect pests and pathogens. Now, I have decided to adopt the same solutions on my own farm,” shares Krishna Sahi, a neighbouring farmer.

Embracing the potential of climate-resilient agriculture

Bindu firmly believes in the immense potential of climate-resilient agriculture practices. “While climate change poses significant threats to agriculture, instead of succumbing to despair, it is important we confront these challenges head-on. With the right adaptation measures and sustainable practices, agriculture can not only survive but also thrive in a changing climate”, she says.

Through her work, she demonstrates that, by prioritising the health and wellbeing of both people and the environment, agriculture can become a force for positive change in the face of climate change. Bindu also encourages other young individuals to consider pursuing a future in agriculture, highlighting the importance of sustainable and climate-resilient farming practices. While committed to her studies, she remains dedicated to supporting her parents in their farming activities, ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for their family and community.

Bindhu Sashi at her farm

At a time when many young people are abandoning agriculture, Bindu’s story serves as an inspiration for others, demonstrating the potential in using and promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices at home and in the community.

Author

Climate Resilient Agriculture Analyst GRAPE, ICIMOD

Share 

Top stories from the region

Signup our newsletter for more interesting content from the Hindu Kush Himalaya

Related posts

8 November 2024
Global goal on adaptation: An opportunity to address current adaptation woes in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

In order to adapt to the impacts of climate change, most countries in the region have developed National Adaptation Plans and Strategies and are now gearing up to implement them. ‘UAE-Belem work programme’ convened by UNFCCC is working on refining and developing indicators for measuring progress towards the Global Goal on adaptation in eight domains – water, food, health, ecosystems, infrastructure and human settlements, poverty and livelihoods, cultural heritage, and policy cycle.

Read More
24 October 2024
Imbalances in plant communities in high altitude grazing lands in Bhutan: an experience and a call for action

Grazing of plants by domesticated livestock is an important ecosystem service of either private or […]

Read More
12 September 2024
Nature’s pharmacy: Exploring the herbal riches of Bhutan’s highlands

We were surrounded by a wealth of highly prized medicinal plants and herbs as we walked through Jigme Dorji National Park

Read More
29 August 2024
The vital role of green entrepreneurship in driving Nepal's industrial strategy - Startup Nation 2030

This speech by Izabella Koziell at the 3rd National Conference "Startup Nation 2030" highlights the vital role of green entrepreneurship in driving Nepal's industrial strategy. It underscores ICIMOD's commitment to fostering innovation, building capacity, and supporting sustainable startups that will lead Nepal into the fourth industrial revolution.

Read More
23 July 2024
Rethinking Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) strategies in the Indian Himalayan Region

The dynamic process of EbA involves mixing traditional wisdom with modern interventions, ecological preservation with sustainable livelihood practices, and proactive disaster risk reduction with gender and socially inclusive institutional innovation.

Read More
22 April 2024
As Nepal’s air quality plummets, experts urge a focus on forest fires

With twice the number of forest fires recorded in the first two weeks of April versus the March total, air quality has plummeted and nature loss is rising. Data tools, training, early-warning, and the revival of traditional forest management practices offer a way to reduce the frequency and severity of forest fires.

Read More
16 April 2024
Unveiling stories of resilience in Dailekh, Nepal 

Young researcher and ICIMOD / GRAPE Embrace Equity Grant recipient Bidhya Poudel Chhetri chronicles the challenges and opportunities for women agriculturalists in the far west of Nepal

Read More
16 April 2024
A quiet revolution in Badhu

On the majority-women-led farming coop reversing the fortunes of a district that has consistently ranked last in the human development and poverty index.

Read More
16 April 2024
The win-win of phasing out farming chemicals in Surkhet 

Farmer Laxmi Thapa worried that ditching chemical fertilisers and pesticides would hit her bottom-line. With the help of GRAPE, her input costs have dropped, while her yield, and health, have leapt.

Read More
29 February 2024
Failure to manage invasive species carries a possible price-tag of $423billion each year. What does this mean for the eight countries of the Hindu Kush Himalaya? 

Biological invasions are responsible for substantial biodiversity declines as well as high economic losses to society and monetary expenditures associated with the management of these invasions.

Read More
7 February 2024
Youth in agroecology: a new generation leverages climate resilience in agriculture

Farming requires perseverance and hard work at the best of times. Now with the effects of climate change firmly embedded in many places across the HKH region, farming communities need to become resilient to these impacts.

Read More
5 February 2024
Personal visit by Director-General of FAO signals new era in cooperation

The MOU commits both bodies to pool expertise, knowledge, innovation, technology and networks to strengthen food production and community resilience, food and nutrition security, and bring economic benefits to mountain communities. 

Read More
11 December 2023
Invest in tourism for greater climate resilience in mountain destinations: Tourism-climate change stocktake 2023

Chapter four of the Tourism Panel on Climate Change Stocktake report has a dedicated section that brings in the perspective of the HKH mountain destinations, where the strong need for an integrated assessment of climate risks to attract investment for climate resilient mountain tourism has been highlighted.

Read More
15 September 2023
Cultivating change in a changing climate: Local farmers transforming agriculture in western Nepal

Drought, extreme weather events, and shifting pest and disease patterns are some of the challenges posed by a changing climate that affect farmers all over the HKH. One such farmer is Puna Rawat Bhandari, 31, from Dailekh District, in western Nepal, where she plays a vital role as a local resource person at the Community Learning Centre in Bhandaritol, Ward 4, Dullu Municipality.

Read More
1 September 2023
Turbocharging green start-ups in Nepal

Nepal's Entrepreneurship Framework is set to turbocharge green enterprises and shape a resilient, inclusive future.

Read More
1 September 2023
Pioneering Green Innovation and Resilience – Startup Nation 2030 

In the heart of Nepal, where economic challenges meet climate threats, a green revolution ignites at the Startup Nation 2030 Conference.

Read More
21 August 2023
World Water Week 2023: We must invest in natural solutions like spring revival for water security

Time to move away from a hard-engineering approach and embrace nature-based solutions for water security in hill and mountain communities

Read More
envelope linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram