DANG: Two young men from Dang who returned home after years of working abroad have turned to commercial farming and poultry production, generating income while creating jobs for local workers.
Hum Bahadur KC, a resident of Airawati Rural Municipality–2 in Pyuthan, returned after working in Japan for eight years and started commercial farming in Hapur Ratanpur, Ghorahi Sub-Metropolitan City–12, Dang.
KC has leased eight bighas of land from Secondary School Hapur Ratanpur, where he grows bananas and raises broiler chickens and goats. He has planted bananas on around four to five bighas and uses the remaining land for seasonal crops including maize, mustard and lentils.
Operating the Animal Sunshine Multipurpose Agriculture and Livestock Farm, KC says he generates around Rs 250,000 in monthly turnover and saves up to Rs 125,000. His farm also provides regular employment to four people. He pays the school Rs 80,000 annually as land rent.
KC said farming may not initially provide the same income or facilities as working abroad, but investment in agriculture at home can generate sustainable returns over the long term.
Another returnee, Harpal KC of Ghorahi–9, Aspari, spent four years working in Malaysia before returning home. He has been commercially producing eggs for the past five years.
Operating two poultry sheds with more than 3,000 chickens, Harpal produces around 11–12 crates of eggs daily and supplies them to markets in Ghorahi, Narayanpur and surrounding areas.
He generates around Rs 250,000 in monthly sales and saves Rs 90,000 to Rs 100,000, he said. According to him, egg production remains profitable when farms are not hit by major disease outbreaks such as bird flu.
Harpal said he chose to return home after realizing that running even a small business in his own community was preferable to living away from his family and working under someone else.
Since starting poultry farming, he has not needed to return abroad for employment. He said the business can also be managed alongside household responsibilities and has allowed him to cover expenses while maintaining savings.
