Pax Earth has been implementing Soil Cement Pond program in Kot Timal for last 2 and half years and Fruit Garden project in Kot Timal, Kalimati, and Poudelthok villages in Namobuddha municipality in Kavrepalanchok district of Nepal for last four years. On March 8, a Pax Earth team consisted of PEJ President Dr. Soko Aoki, PEN President Sujan Koirala, Joint Secretary Jamuna Siwakoti Kachyapati and Board Member Bhagawati Pandey Thapaliya travelled to these villages – Poudelthok, Kalimati and Kot Timal and observed fruit plants, and trees, as well as a few soil cement ponds. This was the first observation visit of President Aoki after the outbreak of COVID-19.
At first, the Pax Earth team observed orange plants at the farmlands of Chandra Bahadur Tamang and Achyout Prasad Poudel in Poudelthok respectively. They have been cultivating the orange plants for the last one year. These plants are growing well. In addition, the team observed fruit trees including apple, orange, avocado, pear, lemon and pomegranate trees at Seti Devi Primary School in Poudelthok. Pax Earth has been supporting to create a fruit garden at this school for last 6 years.
Secondly, the team observed fruit plants at the farmlands of Dev Bahadur Sorali Magar, Iman Singh Tamang, and Gopal Bahdur Sorali Magar in Kalimati respectively. At farmer Magar’s farm, we observed new and old kiwi trees, apple trees and pears trees. Four kiwi trees that we handed before the outbreak of COVID-19 have been yielding fruits for the last three years. A few kiwi trees have survived in his farm for about 30 years, and they are still yielding fruits. At Tamang’s farm, we observed a few apple and pear trees which he planted the last month. At farmer Magar’s farm, we observed a few apple and kiwi trees. Likewise in Dev Bahadur, he has sustained a few kiwi trees for about 30 years. Most of the fruit trees and plants are growing and sustaining well in Kalimati.
Thirdly, we observed fruit plants – mainly kiwi, apple, pears, orange, lemon, citrus and avocado trees in Kot Timal. We observed kiwi and lemon trees at farmland of Uttam Bahadur Badal, apple, kiwi, and pears trees at Uddhav Prasad Koirala, kiwi trees at Keshav Raj Koirala, apple and orange trees at Sudarshan Bhurtel, apple, orange, pear, kiwi, citrus, orange, lemon, and avocado trees at Umesh Khakurel, kiwi, orange, and avocado trees at Ramhari Khakurel, kiwi trees at Ramesh Khakurel, and kiwi, orange, apple, and pear trees at Ramhari Koirala respectively.
Most of the fruit trees and plants are sustaining and growing well in these villages. Particularly, the fruit management training that we have been providing in these villages are improving their fruit farming. The farmers could learn to manage the trees from planting to sustaining to harvesting these fruits trees.
Among these fruit trees, some apple, kiwi, orange, pear and lemon trees have been yielding fruits for the last few years as they were the grafted fruit saplings. These grafted plants can yield fruits from one year to four years. In this visit, the team could see flowers in many apple trees and these flowers will certainly yield fruits in the next few months.
The team also observed two soil cement ponds – one at the farmland of Sudarshan Bhurtel. This pond is prototype pond created in November 2021. Similarly, we observed soil cement pond at the farmland of Ramhari Koirala. Both ponds are enabling the farmers to harvest the rain and residual water. They are using the stored water in raising cattle, cultivating vegetables and fruits. We have constructed 10 soil cement ponds so far.
We have aimed to sustain and improve the livelihoods of the farmers from the Fruit Garden project and Soil Cement Pond program in the long run.
To conclude, with our sincere effort we are not only supporting the farmers in sustaining and improving the livelihoods, but also contributing to earth and environment by planting more fruit plants every year.
Reported by PEN Secretariat!
