Setting up an Organic Farm

The agricultural situation of Nepal is a dangerous and unstable one. Around 90% of Nepal's population depends on agriculture. The use of pesticides and fertilizer is widespread and the extent to which they are used poses a health risk to people and over time depletes the fertility of the soil.  WFN believes that  raising public awareness about the benefits of organic farming practices is very important. 

In 2003 WFN received financial assistance to purchase land in Bhaktapur (outside of Kathmandu) for the establishment of an organic farm.  This has been one of WFN's goals for a number of years and presents an exciting opportunity to spread awareness of organic farming while providing a source of income to support other WFN programs.

The farm land is very different from the farm land which WFN was leasing in Kathmandu, which was flat and had a reliable water supply.  The Bhaktapur land is very hilly and much work is required to establish a dependable irrigation supply.  When people from the villages were brought to Kathmandu for training in organic farming methods, they found it difficult to relate to the training as the land in Kathmandu was not at all like their land in the villages.  As such WFN believes that the land in Bhaktapur will enable more effective training as it closely resembles farming conditions in rural Nepal.

In 2004 WFN undertook significant work to establish the farm at Bhaktapur.  The farmhouse was constructed, 250 fruit trees were planted and slow, but steady, progress was made in securing irrigation.  The farm yielded a substantial maize crop which, when mixed with rice, is a major component of the shelter residents' diet.  WFN planned on building the cow shed during 2004, but the plans were delayed for various reasons.  When the cow shed is constructed, WFN will move their 5 cows to the farm. The presence of the cows will dramatically speed up the process of establishing the land as the cows will provide valuable manure to fertilize the farm.  This will represent an important turning point in the farm's value to WFN.   

The Women's Foundation of Nepal's central aim is that all programs become financially self-sufficient and self-sustaining.  As one of WFN's largest programs, the shelter represents considerable financial pressure on WFN and much strategic planning is currently underway to minimise costs and introduce measures to provide an income for the shelter.

The Organic Farm was developed out of a need to increase the sustainability of programs such as the shelter.  The original organic farm in Kathmandu supplied around 30% of the vegetables consumed by the shelter.  The new land in Bhaktapur has the capacity to produce the total amount of vegetables consumed by the shelter.  Progress will increase as the land becomes more established.