Bibek Dhital is one of the most active youths who is passionate about working in the agricultural field. He has recently finished Bachelors of Science in Agriculture from Lamjung. He works as the researcher and trainer in HASERA Permaculture Learning Center, Kavre who has trained Nepali and Foreigners from around 83 countries. He is also the council member U.S. Embassy Youth Council Nepal.
His story
He was very much interested in studying agriculture from Grade Nine. Having a family who is involved in agriculture the whole life made him passionate about working in the fields and farms. He chose to study Bachelors in Agriculture after his high school.
Hasera Permaculture Learning Center was initiated by his father Gobinda Sharma 20 years back. He shared, “I did not choose flying abroad searching for my career or wander around for searching jobs but wanted to bring revolution in Nepal through agriculture. I enjoy training about Permaculture: Organic Farming and Sustainable Agriculture and facilitate foreign interns.”
Urgency to act for a change
He emphasized, “While studying my Bachelors, I had an expectation from my university to provide me with a level of quality education. I was so excited and keen to learn about advancements in agriculture and Nepal’s perspective regarding it. I was so thrashed down because it was politically affected.”
He shared, “I felt that the change is required and change can only happen from us. So, we formed a team of me and my few other friends.” He and his team dared to open an organization just to prove that the college was an agriculture college and the works on agriculture are what matters the most. Youth For Agri Welfare aims to empower the keen learners, a platform for their involvement.
The act of change in the campus environment worked so well that now there is almost 16 organization whose motive is to work more and have a healthy competition leading all of them to work on the agricultural field and its advancement. Students are now willing to work and are engaged in making agricultural projects for Lamjung.
His involvements
Permaculture has been a rising context in the world. There are individual works, papers and researches available. So, in the lack of authentic networks, he initiated Asian Regional Permaculture Network (ARPN). This network will work on connecting all the people from Asia. After the formation of the proper network, the replication of the same network model will be established to other continents and finally, a global hub will be created.
After lots of details studies and researches in agriculture, he realised that there is a lack of market. In many types of farming market in Nepal, there are always agents and middleman who will take the products from the farmers and sell them to the consumer. He said, “To create an infrastructure where the farmers can solely create their own catalogue without any interference, I have a model which is not a business but a community based and it can be replicable anywhere. Under that model, I m now running a campaign called as ‘I Shop Local’. ”
He added, “Looking at the rising scope of the e-commerce website, I am also looking forward to creating a website which will act as the online farmers market. An app which provides an online platform to the consumer from Kathmandu can connect to rural producers. Even consumer can order a huge amount on the contract basis for big parties.”
This will encourage the farmers to produce more as they are assured of the consumption.
Message to youths
He concluded, “Nepal carries the potential in huge amount. It only lacks the youth who would passionately work on the potential they have and amplify it for the sustainable development of the community and Nepal rather than earning money and flying abroad for the career.”
By: Sampada Dahal
