blog post

Lalku Katharina’s Journey to Intensive Rice Cultivation

Lalku Kathariya, a farmer from Charra Village in Lalbojhi, shared his farming journey with villagers at his tea shop: “I planted spring rice on eight kaththas of land and harvested 24 quintals. The crop performed very well. I used the same method for planting the monsoon rice,” he explained.

Lalku had enrolled in a rice farming program organized by FAYA Nepal in collaboration with the UN FAO, where he learned about intensive farming methods. After gaining this knowledge, he decided to apply it to his land, which had typically been barren during the winter months. The results exceeded his expectations. Inspired by this success, he rented 10 more kaththas of land and used intensive farming techniques to grow monsoon rice.

In the 2068 BS (2011-2012 AD) rice season, Lalku was one of over 63 farmers in Lalbojhi adopting intensive rice farming. In previous years, his family of 13 struggled to meet their needs and often had to buy food from outside. However, this year, Lalku believed that the spring rice alone would provide enough food for his family for almost the entire year.

Lalku has become a prominent figure in Lalbojhi due to his success with intensive farming. His farm has drawn the attention of neighboring farmers, journalists, social activists, and even political leaders, all eager to learn from his methods.

Lalbojhi, located in Kailali District, is prone to flooding. Every year, floods wash away rice crops, forcing local farmers to seek labor work in India. Lalku believes that with the promotion of intensive farming and the introduction of irrigation systems, farmers in flood-prone areas could harvest spring rice before the floods arrive. This would ensure they have food, even if the monsoon crop is destroyed by floods.

In conclusion, Lalku stressed, “For this approach to succeed, the government must provide irrigation systems and plowing equipment. It’s essential for us to raise awareness and take action.”