MUSTANG: A satellite agricultural farm is set to be established in Ghami, located in Loghekar Damodarkunda Rural Municipality-2 of Upper Mustang, as a branch of the Temperate Horticulture Development Center based in Marfa.
The initiative aims to protect and promote the cultivation of temperate fruits and vegetables in the region.
According to Padmanath Atreya, Chief of the Temperate Horticulture Development Center, the land acquisition process has been completed, with 801 ropanis of land registered in the name of the government for the establishment of the farm.
He added that the process of securing the land title in the name of the Horticulture Center will be completed within a few months.
Due to the impact of climate change, the cultivation of temperate crops such as apples, walnuts, peaches, apricots, almonds, and grapes is gradually shifting to higher altitudes.
As these crops, previously grown in the lower regions of Mustang, are now thriving in higher elevations, the need for a satellite farm in Upper Mustang has become increasingly important.
Atreya explained that the satellite farm will help safeguard and encourage the production of these fruits and vegetables in the mountainous areas.
The move is expected to significantly benefit local farmers by ensuring better access to seeds and seedlings.
Lopsang Chomphel Bista, Chairperson of Loghekar Damodarkunda Rural Municipality, emphasized the positive impact the farm will have on the local farming community.
“Farmers in Upper Mustang face challenges in transporting seeds and seedlings, and the cost of transportation is high,” he said. “With the establishment of the horticulture branch, they will be able to access seedlings more easily. This is a welcome development for our community.”
He also noted that both the municipality and local residents are actively supporting the center in acquiring land and facilitating the project.
Once the land title process is finalized, the Horticulture Center plans to move ahead with setting up an office and developing the farm.
The farm in Ghami will consist of three plots, with different blocks designated for the production of seeds and seedlings of various fruits and vegetables.
Currently, the center distributes apple seedlings to farmers in Poush and Magh, but farmers in Upper Mustang are often away from their homes during the harsh winter months and typically plant in Chaitra and Baisakh.
The new satellite farm is expected to resolve this timing mismatch by providing locally accessible seedlings at the appropriate planting season.
The Horticulture Center believes that Upper Mustang holds significant potential for agricultural expansion and envisions that this farm will encourage farmers to further establish Mustang’s legacy as a premier apple-growing region for generations to come.
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