The 'elder' is disappearing

"Even when cooking rice at home, the hunger that spreads throughout the village does not come even when eating," 58-year-old Basanti Gurung of Pokhara Metropolitan City-23 says, remembering the past. She said that along with the cultivation of old age, the taste of rice is also disappearing. He is of the opinion that the quality of the product has decreased after the use of Bika fertilizer in agriculture. "Earlier, cattle manure was sufficient for cultivation," she said, "now chemical fertilizers brought from outside are used." Home fertilizer is not enough. Pesticides are used to kill ants and insects. The use of pesticides has killed the fertile soil.

She said that even the crops planted by herself are not in condition to be eaten as they are local to the village. It was not just because it was grown at home. Today's agricultural products are all chemical. Paddy is also the same,' she added. He has experience that after using chemical fertilizers around his land, even if he did not do it, it will have a direct effect.

53-year-old Lok Bahadur Gurung, the coordinator of the agricultural network of the same place, said that the main reasons for the loss of the old man's habitat are the adverse effects of the environment, the effect of chemical fertilizers and advanced breed (hybrid) rice seeds. According to him, Pukhyuli rice is being displaced after farmers started subsidizing rice seeds that are more fruitful than Raithane.

Farmers are encouraged to use chemical fertilizers for cultivation and farmers are also happy with the increasing production, he says that the elders are dying. He says that the use of pesticides has affected not only rice but also local vegetables and fruits. He says that food with pesticides has also affected human life.

He complained that local seeds should be given priority to farmers over developed seeds from the Agriculture Office. He said that the Raithani crop was disappearing when the office was forced to use advanced varieties of rice to increase production and taught to use many pesticides. He said that other local rice such as Thimaha is also disappearing along with elderberry.

He said that organizations such as Pokhara metropolis, biodiversity, local initiatives for research and development have taken initiatives in Raithane crop promotion. He says that Raithane did not pay attention to crop protection while making his identity as a professional farmer.

"There is a difference between the previous organic rice and the current rice, the current one has neither flavor nor taste," he added, "In the past, the taste of milk and rice was not found now. Even if it is rice produced by oneself, it is not possible to eat only with milk.

Basudev Gyawali of Galyang municipality in Syangja also expressed his concern about the disappearance of Pukhyuli paddy. He narrates that rice would not be the same as it is now when it is produced by splashing with cold water from the mul. "Earlier, spring water was used. We used to use manure from domestic cattle. Now the environment has changed. When the hybrid rice seeds also started to come, the mature rice has started to disappear.

He has the experience of bringing old rice from Pokhara and cultivating it He told that he did not plant any other type of rice after using old-fashioned rice and said, "The rice in my house has a little more luster than the rice bought in the market of Pokhara. It was not found in Pokhara.

The Gandaki provincial government has been carrying out land classification, soil testing, chaklabandi and other works. Raithane has prepared the Agricultural Biodiversity and Organic Agriculture Promotion Strategic Action Plan, 2080 for crop protection. Arjundev Gyawali, the Acting Head of the Agricultural Business Promotion Support and Training Center Pokhara, said that the Raithane Crop Protection Promotion Program has been conducted under the action plan.

Stating that there is a need to maintain the original caste, he said that more research should be done to improve the caste quality of Jethobudo. Although Jethobudo, which is popular in Pokhara region, is preferred everywhere, now there are complaints of loss of caste.

"On the one hand, there is also the effect of weko paddy," he added, "on the other hand, there is also a problem of adulteration in the name of the elder when selling it in the market." The Ministry of Agriculture says that Jethobudho is not only the identity of Pokhara but of the entire Gandaki province.

An organization named Libird has produced and sold improved Jethobudo seeds for promoting Jethobudo. According to Leeward, there was no uniformity in the old rice planted by the farmers in different fields around Pokhara. The Nepal Agricultural Research Council and LIBERD together with the then District Agricultural Development Office collected and tested old rice samples from 338 farmers from seven different districts regarding the reason for the diversity. After the

test, in 2006, the reformed Pokhreli Jethobudho was named. Gyawali said that if it is not listed at the national level, it cannot be sold and distributed, so after it is listed, there is interest in its promotion.

Pokhara Metropolitan City Agriculture Department said that the demand for elderberry is still there. The metropolis has conducted a program to promote the elderly. Manhar Kadaria, Head of Agriculture Division, said that by researching old rice, it can be further expanded.

In 2063, the Nepal government listed Jethobudho as an old Raithane variety of rice. In the beginning, it was only called Jethobudho, but now it is known as Pokhreli Jethobudho. There is also a lack of production of old-timers who have long legs, come to bed late, and are not good at eating.

According to Kadaria, due to the lack of uniformity in elders, from the three most caste One breed was made by selecting and mixing 6 breeds. It includes all those who have lust, less lust, more and less production, some are tall, some are short, some can tolerate disease.

Metropolitan Municipality has 'branded' Jethobudho last year. Its minimum price (the price of one quintal of old rice is nine thousand five hundred and 95 rupees per kilo) has been fixed. Kadaria said that in some places, basnadar elderberry still thrives in cold water.

Cultivated at an altitude of 600 to 900 meters, this rice transplant grows up to three muri. About 15 metric tons of elderberry is being produced in Pokhara.