Kathmandu, 18 June: “During my time abroad, I spent 10 years in Korea for foreign employment,” said farmer Thapa. “I was earning well there, but I returned with the goal of becoming an exemplary figure in agriculture in my own homeland.”
He said his target is to earn between NPR 800,000 to 1,000,000 annually from chili farming.
He added that if chili prices remain as good as last year, achieving this target won’t be a problem. At a time when youth are increasingly attracted to foreign employment, he chose to return home and engage in agriculture to prove that a good income can also be made through farming.
“We are going abroad often without realizing the true value of our own country,” he said. “If the same hard work done abroad is applied to our own land, we can earn well through agriculture too.”
He believes that instead of just providing financial grants, the government should support farmers by ensuring access to modern tools and equipment.
He pointed out that due to youth migration, much of the cultivable land in villages is lying fallow, and the government needs to focus on utilizing this land effectively.
He shared that one can earn better in Nepal than abroad by engaging in commercial farming at home. He emphasized that support programs from all levels of government must reach genuine farmers.
“The state should support youths who want to become entrepreneurs in their own country based on solid business plans,” he said. “But the trend of running government programs based on connections has left genuine farmers at a disadvantage. Stakeholders need to pay serious attention to this.”
He shared that last year, as a trial, he planted 2,000 chili plants and earned NPR 300,000. Encouraged by the good returns, farmer Thapa has planted 10,000 seedlings this year.
He plans to further expand the cultivation to 40,000 to 50,000 chili plants next year. Despite being requested by his employer to stay longer in Korea, he returned to Nepal with strong determination to pursue agriculture in his own homeland.
