(Krishna Dawadi)

Farmers in Gandaki State have been elated after increase in agricultural production following the farming with land pooling. They are attracted towards collective farming, reasoning that the cultivation was easier and less costly.

Various small plots of land were integrated for land pooling for the collective farming.

A total of 21 farmers from Sirankhet of Machhapuchchre rural municipality-3, who had done rice farming in 51 ropanis of land, shared that they were able to produce 200 muris of rice- 50 muris more than the usual production. It was less costly to grow rice with land pooling, said farmer Motilal Pokhrel, who is also the Chairperson of Bhume Srijansheel Agricultural Group.

The farmers committed to yielding products for three times in a year have been happy to see the change. Now, after the rice farming, they have sowed mustard oil seeds. "In the beginning, we were suspicious of products with land pooling. We held rounds of discussion on it. But we became happy to have plenty of rice now," Chairperson Pokhrel added. He hoped that the collective farming would yield further in the coming days.

After the harvest of mustard, they have planned to sow the maize seeds.

The Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperative in Gandaki State had provided 300 ropanis of land for the land pooling for the first time.

Farmer Bishnu Prasad Dahal also said the land pooling at Dharapani of Pokhara Metropolitan city-23 resulted in increased production. In the land leveled for farming, 100 muris of rice was produced. The land was earlier damaged by the floods in 2072BS.

Dahal however said government had not allocated sufficient budget for further encourage farmer in agriculture.