I have been a farmer for 40 years and have learnt in that time that knowledge is key to overcoming the many challenges that this way of life brings. Understanding the environment around you, learning new and improved farming techniques and accessing the market place are all key to ensuring success and sustainability. I’m now going to be taking my experience to Lamjung in Nepal where I’ll be working with poor and marginalised farmers to find solutions to the challenges facing them. My aim is to work alongside farmers to facilitate change by finding out what they need and together, equip farmers with new skills and open up more opportunities to lift themselves out of poverty.
Nepal is one of the poorest countries in Asia. Over 80% of Nepal’s population live in rural areas and rely on agriculture as a form of income but in some regions nearly half of the population lives in poverty. Climate change, livestock diseases, inequality and poor access to markets are preventing many farmers from building a secure livelihood and overcoming poverty.
I will be working with local partners, the department for agriculture and other local authorities to establish means to improve poor and marginalised famers’ access to markets. I will also be investigating solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing farmers in Nepal, namely climate change and livestock diseases. By training farmers in new skills such as disease control and alternative crop management, these farmers will be able to improve the productivity of their farms and build a more secure livelihood.
Over the next two years I’ll be working directly with farmers, farming support groups and the district livestock office. But the great thing about volunteering and sharing skills is that there will be a ripple effect and the impact will be far wider that the people I work directly with.
