Dailekh, June 6: Somewhere in a corner of his home, Santosh Darlami Magar’s passport may still be lying unused. Once, that very passport seemed to hold his entire future. Like many young people from his village, he too once dreamed of foreign employment. With hopes of earning a better income, improving his family’s condition, and making life easier, Magar went to Kathmandu and completed a six-month training in hotel management. He also gained some work experience for a short period.
However, just as he was preparing for final arrangements to go abroad, a relative’s experiences of foreign employment changed his outlook. He said, “They send you for one job but make you do another once you reach there,” which deeply affected him. Then, he decided to abandon the idea of going abroad for foreign employment.
Although he later travelled as far as Himachal Pradesh in India for some time, he ultimately could not settle there. He returned to his village and decided to build his future on his own land.
That decision has now earned him national recognition. On the recommendation of the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives of Karnali Province, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment selected him for the National Outstanding Farmer Award from across the country, which was presented on the occasion of Republic Day-2083. He received a cash prize of Rs. 200,000 along with a certificate of honour.
Magar lost his father, Dhan Bahadur Darlami Magar, when he was just four years old. After that, his grandfather, Chen Darlami Magar, took responsibility for the family. The goat farming business started by his grandfather became the main source of livelihood. Income from the enterprise even enabled the family to purchase land in the Kange market of Kalika.
Inspired by his grandfather’s struggle and enterprise, Magar invested Rs. 1.6 million in 2019 to expand goat farming into a commercial enterprise. At present, his farm has more than 110 goats. Alongside livestock farming, he has also cultivated bananas on five ropani of land, cardamom on three ropani, and oranges on two ropani. These activities generate an annual income of around Rs. 700,000 to 800,000.
The business is run entirely through family labour. Although attempts were made to hire workers, Magar said it is difficult to find people willing to work long-term in goat farming. In the current fiscal year, he received Rs. 400,000 in government subsidy under the goat shed improvement programme, and an additional Rs. 400,000 has been invested from his own funds to expand infrastructure. His total personal investment in the farm now exceeds Rs. 2.5 million.
According to Bhim Bahadur Bista, Livestock Development Officer at the District Livestock Hospital and Veterinary Service Office, Dailekh, the office provided a 50 per cent subsidy, amounting to Rs. 400,000, for shed improvement.
He said Santosh has established himself as one of the district’s successful commercial goat farmers and has inspired young people to do something within Nepal.
Dr. Sudeep Chaudhary, head of the livestock section at Naumule Rural Municipality, said Santosh has transformed himself as a model agricultural entrepreneur by adopting a mixed farming system alongside goat farming. Dr. Chaudhary added that they provide him with technical advice whenever any issues arise in livestock management.
After receiving the award, Santosh said he never expected such recognition. “I never thought farmers from remote villages would receive a national award,” he said. “I filled out the application just to complete the process, and I was surprised when I heard my name was selected.”
According to him, hard work removes the difference between remote and urban areas, as efforts are ultimately recognised. He now plans to further modernise and systematise his business in the coming years. #nepal
