”Life is smiling with kiwi and walnuts”

Tej Bahadur Yogi of Salyan, who turned to kiwi farming after the shop was destroyed, is rehabilitating himself through struggle and hard work and is inspiring others to work.

Bhadra 18, 2082

Teja Bahadur Yogi

”Life is smiling with kiwi and walnuts”

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Now I am 48 years old. As part of the agricultural business started in 2060, there are now 35 plantations of kiwi and walnut trees. I have been earning 15 to 2 million annually by selling kiwi and walnuts.

In the beginning, I spent about 5/6 lakh to bury the iron pole after the agriculture office gave permission for kiwi cultivation. After that, you don't have to spend much.

Lately, I have been hiring workers for Kiwi Godmel, sewage, pruning . A worker takes 6 to 700 per day. 2 lakhs are spent annually for the wages of the workers . Now it seems like life is smiling along with kiwi and walnut.

I passed SLLC at the age of 17 and was living at home. One year after that, in 2052, the Maoists started an armed war and made Chhatreshwari Rural Municipality-2, Gunrase their base. After the Maoists made their village a base, the then Nepalese army used to come to patrol. He used to be puzzled by asking

 . Because of this, he had to suffer various hardships . Due to the tension of the then armed conflict, I could not study above the secondary level. After that, I took over the shop that my parents were running.

I went on expanding the business from that shop . The shop became the main source of livelihood for 8 people in the family. Galla and grocery store were doing well . On May 29, 2059, the shop was destroyed during the clash between the then Nepali Army and the Maoists. There was a loss of more than 600,000. Because of this, the livelihood of the family was lost, and the money-lenders had to rush to pay for the goods. 

There was no way to pay the debt. He started worrying about how to pay the amount. He began to struggle to take care of the family. I turned to agriculture to pay off my debt and support my family. Now that profession has become the main basis of my livelihood . 

There was frequent fighting between the Nepali Army and the Maoists in Gurase. Many villagers lost their lives. More than a dozen of acquaintances were injured and dismembered. Many houses were burnt to ashes. When the human and economic losses started, I left my native place in 2054 and moved to save my life. Then I migrated to Nepalgunj via Dang. 

At that time, the police arrested him for helping the then Maoists. Released after 35 days of detention. After the atmosphere calmed down, I returned home . Nothing happens by sitting at home. In order to work, I started kiwi and walnut farming as part of the agricultural business with the help of the District Agriculture Office Salyan around 2060. Every year I increased it . I am continuing that business now . 

It takes three grains of rice for a family in a month. One katta is equal to 2 thousand 500 . Dal costs from 150 to 200 per kg. Five kilos of dal is enough for the whole month. If the vegetables produced in their own land are not sufficient, they should be bought and eaten.

A family of eight has to spend 40,000 a month on food. I have been allocating 3 lakhs annually to provide higher education to my children . Children's education, food and Kiwi Godmail have an annual expenditure of 11 lakhs. I have been saving up to 5 and sometimes up to 7 lakhs by cutting everything . I have added land from this saved amount. 

After the shop got stuck in the conflict, I used to wander around for food and employment for two days, when I had to stay there without getting a job. Now, after starting business, there is no problem to eat two meals . I have been able to change new clothes two/three times a year, but I have been able to eat meat once a week. Seeing that I farmed, now 90 families in the settlement are earning income by cultivating kiwi and walnuts. Many have got jobs at home.

Presentation: Biplav Maharjan

Teja

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