Milanshar Farmers Group and IPNS

This time our visit was short but we could attend many functions and palces. Our main destination was Regional Agricultural Directorate, Pokhara, Where we attended Nepal Khadya Surakchya Anugaman Pranali ( NeKSAP) Regional Consultation Meeting  but we visited Sarankot, Baudhasthupa, Bindabasini Temple, Talbarahi temple (Fewa lake) and Begnas lake . All those spots are important either for  scenic beauty or religious point of view. But the most interesting, one farmers function we attended was very  important for me. We were on the way back to Kathmandu, one phone came to our joint secretary Mr Vijoy Kumar Mallick. It was an request to attend a closing function of IPNS ( Integrated Plant Nutrient Management School). 

Personally it was my second time( this type of function). Earlier I had chance to attend a farmers co-operatives annual general assembly at Chiti VDC, lamjung last year. This time, beautiful cultural dressed women were standing in-front of stage. when we reached there, the program had already started. But chief guest was with us, our joint secretary. After welcoming we all, there was a dance. The song was about protecting soil and its fertility . Six women started to dance and same number were there for singing. At a corner men were playing Madal, khaijari ( local musical instruments )and harmonium. The dance was nice, traditional Kauda dance of Pun ( Magar). And song was informative.

After the dance there was a session for observation by chief guest and other guest about the IPNS. they had studied about plant nutrient,water cycle, use of fertilizer and bio pesticides, planting method to application of IPNS in their field. As, the school was for 10 month long, they could apply IPNS for two season crop. The first crop was potato , by which they earned  about three times profit compared to traditional cropping system . But unfortunately the snowball hit their second crop ( maize) and we could notice some naked maize crop standing in field with very few productive cobs.

Any way , farmers were happy for government support and staffs responsible to conduct that IPNS were also happy. In a scenario of most of the people becoming lazy to adopt new techniques of agriculture , it was really a wonderful inclement toward the modern agriculture.