Together for Nepal

During the monsoon of 2021, the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had badly affected Nepal. There was huge chaos due to the medical emergency in the country and the entire country was in complete lockdown. All the people were obliged to stay in their own homes.

Despite the horrifying situation, the indigenous women of Madyavindu Municipality in Nawalpur district in Nepal were busy planting limes in their farms. As it was monsoon and the situation was best suited for the plantation activity, the women had fully utilized their time in the lockdown. Instead of locking themselves up in their respective homes, they chose to work on their farms alone.

This way they could maintain physical distance from other people too. The indigenous people have planted lime in around 25 hectares of the land. The plantation activity as a horticultural group helps to restore the degraded land. As the plant is lime, it will also add value to their production. Women in the area were already practicing lime cultivation in some small patches. Due to their presence in their homes all day, the plants could also get proper care and nutrition.

Post the lockdown the indigenous women have also established the enterprise of pickle production. Due to the lime processing (pickle enterprises), the lime farmers will be able to add value to their products and generate more income out of them.

Their act of lime contribution has made an impact on their livelihood, land restoration, and the generation of green jobs. Their efforts have drawn attention from several other stakeholders like local government, other CBOS and have been receiving support in the form of grant and subsidies to scale up their lime cultivation.

Links:

• Success Story