Kismat Pun, 22, from Ghunma village of Rukum East lost his father in 2015. It was tough for his mother to survive, so in 2018 she remarried. Kismat then started living at his stepfather’s home and left his studies, only completing the primary level. For the next two years his life had no purpose. He spent his time just wandering around with his friends. Gradually, he faced financial and social pressure to engage in some work and become productive. For some time, he worked as temporary masonry labourer in the village, but it was very irregular and he had no interest in working as a wage labourer. He was very anxious and in a dilemma about what he could do to survive.

Kismat then got an opportunity to participate in an agricultural learning visit to a permaculture farm through UMN’s SEED project. After that, he was motivated to do something. He saw the potential in farming and showed enthusiasm to participate in an off-seasonal vegetable farming and bio-pesticide-making training. After these opportunities, he shared, “I now have found a way for my living.” He started vegetable farming in partnership with Bikash Pun. They are engaged in vegetable farming in around two ropani (0.10 hectares) of land.

He has been doing mixed farming, which has helped to minimise the risk of pest attraction and helped to reduce soil erosion on the sloping land. Their vegetable farm is now registered in the rural municipality and within only five months, Kismat and his co-farmer had earned a net income of NPR 32,000 (USD 250). Their farm has also become recognised as a model farm in their ward. Under the SEED project, there was an inter-community learning visit, and their farm was chosen by other farmers as a learning site. Kismat and Bikash plan to develop their integrated farm and become even more successful agro farmers in their rural municipality.