Following the Bhim Dutta Highway for about 30 kms, turning left onto a winding path and walking a short hilly stretch, we can see a farm neatly enclosed with a green net fence, blending seamlessly into a lush landscape. A quaint, traditional house nearby adds to the farm's rustic charm. Nirmala Dangi, a resident of Godawari-4, Kailali, recently started her nursery naming Bhairab Krishi Farm, sustaining her energy, commitment, and resolve in all her endeavors.  

Since 2072, Ms. Dangi has started her enterprises, being inspired by the Goat Genetic Research Center, Budhitola- Kailali, where her husband used to work as a driver. She had limited traditional knowledge on fodder plantations. She faced many challenges at the time of production with high sapling mortality. Several technical and financial barriers arose where she could not fetch her expected price in the real market. In addition to that, she was forced to dig all the saplings to dis-continue startup after 4 to 5 years. 

As a lead farmer from her group, Ms. Dangi received two different trainings on Climate smart goat husbandry and fodder forage management conducted by Heifer Nepal’s GRAPE (Green Resilient Agricultural Productive Ecosystem) Project. She learned various aspects of Climate Smart Livestock Practice, use of fodder plants, land preparation, plantation, inter-cultural management. She is bonafied in her plans with materials to establish a nursery (Green net, Nursery tray, Garden pipe, Polybag, Battery spray tank) worth Rupees Thirty-one thousand. Along with some fodder seeds like (Bhatmase, Koiralo, Ipilipil, Tanki).  

“I got opportunity to shape my vision which I close few years back. Training and events not only shape my vision, but also guide me to re-establish nursery with forage plants like Tanki, Bhatmase, Koiralo, Ipilipil. I sold saplings worth more than NRS one lakh to Kailali, Doti and Bajhang Disticts of Nepal. In co-ordination with government and non-governmental agencies by securing market planning to extend with more saplings like Chiure, Timilo and Kutmiro in additional ropani land area which seems in demand as they are known to be nutritious to goat and livestock, “says Nirmala Dangi. 

Heifer Nepal’s GRAPE project is working with smallholder goat farmers of Sudurpaschim and Karnali province to integrate climate smart livestock practices. The main objective is to increase production and productivity of livestock and income, despite challenges possessed by adverse climatic conditions. Mr. Chandra Bahadur Sunar, (CAVE) Community Agro-Veterinary Enterprises of Godawari Municipality, crediting the activities of the project and the hard work of Ms. Dangi quotes, “The project has highlighted the urgent issue of climate change to farmers who were previously unaware with of the concept, and has also equipped experienced farmers like Nirmala with effective farming and business practices for long-term success. Also wish for similar project activities with ground level support.”