Peak of success: Irrigation channel turned unfertile land to cultivable/ LGCDP/ sindhuli DDC

Peak of success: Irrigation channel turned unfertile land to cultivable

A village Majhuwa in Majhuwa VDC  of Sindhuli district, unfertile land transformd into irrigated fertile land with the effort of CAC and support of small infrastructure project grant.

Majhuwa is a far remote settlement near Sindhuli gadhi, where mixed community of tamang, hayu, dalit, janjati, and others. People of this village was facing problem of food scarcity and daily life was hardship and people have to walk to urban town to search of employment. The land was non-irrigated upland (pakho bari), hard to dig and cultivate hardly maize and millets with spade; resulting to food deficit. Earlier, the place was so romantic scenery and greenery because of natural diversity. Due to impact of global warming, the source of water has been decreased. This has added more difficulty for daily life activities.    

A citizen awareness center (CAC) in Majhuwa VDC was formed in year 2068 B.S. of 30 members of poor and vulnerable households with support of DDC, Sindhuli and LGCDP.  The CAC was initiated with weekly RefLECT classes on civil rights and citizen empowerment from the SEEDs Nepal Sindhuli social mobilizer. For livelihood improvement of poor and vulnerable The CAC was assisted a small infrastructure grant of Rs. 315 thousands from VDC under DDC Sindhuli/LGCDP. The members of CAC participatory discussed in CAC weekly meeting regarding the selection of small infrastructure, process of expenditure and construction process. They have selected an irrigation channel for cultivating land. As their dream was to see the paddy panicles should be flagging in their marginal up land. With the support of SM Mr Yubraj Dahal and VDC officials, they have constructed irrigation channel of about 250 meters. In addition to CAC members, 8 more families from the Majhuwa contributed Rs 65 thousands and worked for 30 days from each HHs (Rs 515 thousands cost value).

This is benefited to 250 people of 38 HHs and irrigate to about 50 ropani lands. This year, people of this region was able to grow paddy and happy with paddy panicle flagging in their land. This canal not only made the land irrigated also made easy to drink water to animal, washing kitchen utensil and bathing too, Chairperson Ms Rita Rai (Hayu) said. Women feel happy as reduced work load to carry water from far distance water sources. They enjoyed eating rice from their own land. Now, plenty of time and money have saved for bringing rice from market. Due to insured irrigation they can grow various cash crops around the year. They feel breakthrough for them as multiplier effect of channel construction, as dream.  They have forgotten the hard work and continued labor while constructing the channel, when they saw the water near their house and farm. Their future plan is to grow tomato, cauliflower, cabbage, cucurbits, etc. as off-farm vegetables for better livelihood. They will maintain and repair themselves as they endeavored hard to achieve. In addition, they have also mobilized Rs. 100 thousands LIP grant for income generation activities among the member in goat, pig rearing and snack shop.

“We can change our live style if we collectively plan, work hard and determine, proved by the small infrastructure project grant” said Chairperson Ms Rai. They are thankful to DDC and LGCDP for change in their lives.

Mr Yubraj Dahal (SM) & Mr Ujjwal Dhakal (SM coordinator Seeds)