Rupa Rural Municipality Boosts Commercial Livestock Farming Through Subsidies

Kaski. The number of people engaged in commercial livestock farming has increased in Rupa Rural Municipality after it provided subsidies to farmers for purchasing cows and buffaloes. The rural municipality, with the support of the Gandaki Province government, launched the 'Milk Production Project for Poverty Alleviation' and provided cash subsidies to farmers last fiscal year to purchase cows. This has increased milk production in the municipality and also boosted farmers' income. Farmers are encouraged by the local government's support amidst a growing trend of livestock farming in the municipality. Shankar Lal Shrestha, a farmer from Thulibesi, Rupa-7, now has three Jersey cows in his shed. He bought the cows and started commercial livestock farming after the rural municipality provided him with a subsidy of Rs 40,000 per cow. Shrestha sells 20 liters of milk daily in the market. According to Shrestha, his father also used to raise livestock. At that time, he had to walk for up to four hours to reach Begnas Lake to sell milk. He abandoned his father's profession due to a lack of market. Now, Shrestha says that the problem of market and collection has been resolved as vehicles come to the village to collect milk. "After the rural municipality's subsidy, 20 farmers here, including myself, have bought Jersey cows and started commercial livestock farming. It is also easy to sell milk. We are motivated to engage in commercial livestock farming with the support of the rural municipality," Shrestha said. According to him, farmers have formed the Deurali Farmers' Group for milk collection and sales. The group, which previously had 11 members, has now grown to 20 members. Mentioning the increasing number of cows in farmers' sheds, Shrestha informed that there are plans to transform the group into a cooperative and further systematize and expand the dairy business. The 'Milk Production Project for Poverty Alleviation', operated by the rural municipality under the Gandaki Province Government's Chief Minister's New Innovation Partnership Program, has accelerated commercial livestock farming not only in Thulibesi of Rupa but also in other wards. According to Sushil Aryal, a veterinarian at the rural municipality, 200 cows have been brought into the rural municipality so far through this program. He informed that farmers in various 11 villages of the municipality have received grants totaling Rs 23.5 million for the purchase of cows and buffaloes and for dairy equipment. Since the launch of the project, milk production has increased by 2,662 liters per day. According to Aryal, the municipality has provided subsidies of Rs 40,000 for purchasing cows and Rs 50,000 for buffaloes to the farmers. "Providing subsidies to farmers for purchasing cows and buffaloes has shown a positive impact, and production has increased. Along with cash subsidies, equipment support has helped in milk collection and increased farmers' income. Employment opportunities have also been created at the local level for the youth. 300 farmers are directly involved in this program," Aryal said. According to him, about 5,000 liters of milk are currently sent daily from Rupa Rural Municipality to the markets in Pokhara for sale. Navraj Ojha, the chairman of the rural municipality, said that investment in the agriculture sector has been increased with the goal of creating a production-oriented economy by respecting the labor of farmers. He stated that while the municipality invested in infrastructure in previous years, programs to increase production and income generation have been given higher priority since this year. "We believe that the village becomes prosperous only through the hard work of the farmers. Therefore, we have been operating programs focused on agriculture and livestock farming with the objective of connecting every household with income generation. This year, we have prioritized production, agriculture, and job creation in the budget, which was previously focused on infrastructure," said Chairman Ojha. He informed that the milk production project for poverty alleviation has been expanded to 11 locations in the rural municipality and mentioned that its direct impact is now visible on farmers' income and living standards. Ananta Raj Neupane, the chief administrative officer of the rural municipality, said that the rural municipality will now focus not only on increasing production but also on its sustainable marketing. "The necessary infrastructure for dairies has reached the villages. Now, farmers will increase production, and the rural municipality will provide necessary facilitation in marketing and management. Our commitment is not to let the production go to waste," he said. Rupa Rural Municipality provides cash subsidies for the purchase of cows and buffaloes under the milk production project, as well as necessary dairy equipment to dairy cooperatives and farmer groups. Through the program, milk cans, milk chilling tanks, milk quality or fat testing machines, voltage regulators (equipment to stabilize electricity flow), milk freezing refrigerators, paneer making equipment, milk cream separators (butter making machines), and generators have been distributed, the rural municipality stated.