Farmer Leaves Government Job for Goat Farming, Achieves Self-Reliance

Myagdi. Bhovani Poudel of Bagar, Dhawalagiri Rural Municipality-7, Myagdi, has become self-reliant and employed by leaving a government job and farming goats.

Poudel, who worked as a contract helper at the Agriculture Development Office in Beni for ten years, has achieved success from the Bagar Agriculture and Livestock Multipurpose Farm he established.

"After returning from foreign employment in the Gulf for about five years, I worked as a helper at the Agriculture Development Office in Beni from 2066 BS for 11 years," he said, "After federalism, I left the job and the idea of raising goats came to mind. The farm, which started with nine goats, now has more than 60 goats."

Poudel, who earns up to Rs 5 lakh annually by selling 35 to 40 goats, said that it has been easy to educate his three children by keeping them in Beni, the district headquarters, and to manage household expenses. Besides goats, kids are also sold.

Customers come to their home looking for kids and goats, so there is no problem with the market. Along with goat farming, Poudel also commercially cultivates oranges and vegetables. Out of one hundred orange trees, 40 trees have started producing. He has expanded the farming by planting an additional one hundred orange saplings.

Poudel shared his experience that he has found satisfaction in farming and goat husbandry compared to foreign employment and contract jobs. Poudel, who raises Jamunapari goats in a well-managed shed, has received one Boer goat of an improved breed as assistance.

Poudel expects support from government bodies for the expansion of the farm's infrastructure. Poudel, who practices grazing-based goat farming on the slopes around his house, has also cultivated perennial fodder crops.

To protect the goats, he has raised two dogs, including one of the large-bodied Bhote breed. The dogs, which stay around the shed at night, provide security by accompanying the goats when taken for grazing in the forest.

Farmer Poudel said that the dogs, which alert by barking if they sense wild animals, help protect the goats from attacks by fighting them.