Pauwadungma Rural Municipality Promotes Commercial Livestock Farming with Rs 6 Million Program

Bhojpur. Pauwadungma Rural Municipality has launched a program worth Rs 6 million targeting farmers by promoting commercial livestock farming.

With the objective of making locals self-reliant and increasing income from agriculture-based livelihoods, the rural municipality has provided grant assistance to 21 agricultural farms. According to the Chief Administrative Officer of the rural municipality, Navin Bhattarai, the rural municipality has allocated a budget of Rs 3 million for the program, and farmers have also contributed an equal share of Rs 3 million as cost sharing. He informed that the program has been implemented with a total investment of Rs 6 million.

The rural municipality vice-chair Jyotsana Rai said that grant assistance for livestock farming has been provided to farmers in Wards No. 4, 5, and 6 through the 'Vice-Chairperson Self-Reliance Program' operated under the Women Development Board. According to her, high-breed cows were distributed in Wards No. 1, 2, and 3 through the same program earlier. The program has been expanded to the remaining wards in the current fiscal year.

Under the program, assistance has been provided to 20 pig farming farms and one goat farming farm. The rural municipality has facilitated in shed construction, purchase of piglets (pigs and goats), and necessary technical support for this plan, where farmers bear 50 percent of the cost.

According to Vice-Chairperson Rai, this program is expected to create new income-generating opportunities, especially in rural areas, and contribute to the economic empowerment of women. "We have conducted the program focusing on women," she said, "This will help improve the economic condition of the household."

Rural Municipality Chairperson Kiran Rai said that the program has been operated with the goal of making the rural municipality self-reliant in milk and meat. "We have set a goal of building a rural municipality self-reliant in milk and meat," said Chairperson Rai, "After distributing cows last year, we have expanded the pig and goat farming program this year. The milk produced is now reaching Bhojpur headquarters."

Local Bartamaya Rai, who has started commercial pig farming by constructing a modern shed with the support of the rural municipality, said that the grant has made it easier to start a business. She started the business by bringing 10 high-breed pigs from Dharan.

Similarly, Lilamaya Rai said that the women-oriented program has been effective, and women who were limited to household chores have received income-generating opportunities.

Local resident Anita Rai said that she has started commercial pig farming by constructing a modern shed with the cost-sharing of the rural municipality. She informed that she has 13 Hemsar pigs brought from Dharan at her home. She stated that if raised properly, one pig can be sold for Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000.

According to local farmer Jayamarani Rai, interest in livestock farming has increased after receiving grant assistance. "It became easier to move forward commercially after receiving help with the initial investment," she said. The rural municipality has stated that such programs will be continued in the future with the aim of making agriculture modern and commercial. The rural municipality stated that more plans will be brought with the objective of increasing income, creating employment, and strengthening the rural economy through livestock farming.

Local experts say that such subsidized and partnership-based programs will significantly contribute to building self-reliant villages by increasing local production and income.