Rong: Rong rural municipality of Ilam district has provided orientation to 121 leading farmers. The farmers selected as ‘guru kisan’ (leading farmers) from among 4,500 farmers got the first phase of training so that they would devote to increasing productivity.
According to National News Agency Nepal, rural municipality Chairman Mani Kumar Syangbo informed that the orientation was provided to the leading farmers in order to foster competitiveness among them in cultivation and production. The farmers were trained on their roles and responsibilities for better farming. The number of trained farmers is expected to gradually increase as more farmers require additional skills and knowledge in agriculture, Syangbo added.
The scheme, which was envisioned last year, is set to be formalized with the announcement of ‘guru kisan’ on March 20. It is the first of its kind in Nepal, as per Syangbo’s statement.
One of the farmers attending the orientation, Man Bahadur Rai from Badare of Rong-1, shared his experiences, noting that he produced 15 maan of black cardamom on 12 ropanies of land. He emphasized the importance of proper irrigation and fertilizer application to increase yields, even on smaller plots of land. Rai aims to further increase his production next year.
Vice Chairman of the rural municipality, Bishnu Maya Bhujel, highlighted that the orientation would not only make farmers competitive but also ensure the self-sufficiency of cash crops in the village.