Economist and former vice-chairman of National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr Min Bahadur Shrestha has said that the state should accept water, land and forest as the foundation for the nation’s prosperity and encourage group farming in the productive sector.
Addressing the third general assembly of Hariyali Group Company at Singha of Beni Municipality-4 on Saturday, Dr Shrestha stated that the government should take the policy to encourage mass production by land pooling, ending the practice of land plotting for imports reduction, increased production and employment creation.
“Land utilization for the productive sector is essential, and trend of keeping land barren must be avoided,” he suggested. He said that the Hariyali Group was envisioned to promote model agriculture farming through group farming, land pooling, joint investment, and modern technology for commercial farming and animal husbandry.
The Hariyali project was initiated in the district of Myagdi some three years ago with the purpose to modernize agriculture, creating employment through commercial farming, and increasing farmers’ income. A total of 64 individuals including 36 local landowners have invested Rs 50 million for the Company and land pooling of 155 ropani is done at local Singh and Angebagar.
The Company has done poultry farming, vegetable farming, fishery, pheasant farming, goat farming, beekeeping, dragon fruit farming and floriculture. Likewise, the Rastriya Banijya Bank Beni Branch has made Rs 50 million in loan investment after keeping the project in collateral. The Company sold agricultural produces worth Rs 39.3 million in the last fiscal year.
