Villages in Myagdi face depopulation as families migrate in search of opportunities

MYAGDI: Every year, around 250 families migrate from Myagdi district to other places.

According to records from the local registration office, about 100 families move to municipalities within the district annually. This increasing migration is affecting social, cultural, and development activities in rural areas, leading to a shortage of students in schools.

In the fiscal year 2024/25, as many as 89 families relocated within Myagdi, while 247 families migrated outside the district. In the previous fiscal year, 2023/24, around 100 families migrated, according to local registration data.

Last year, the number of migrating families within the district was 45 in Beni Municipality, three in Dhawalagiri, eight in Malika, 19 in Mangala, four in Raghuganga, and 10 in Annapurna. Meanwhile, 65 families from Beni, 23 from Dhawalagiri, 39 from Malika, 55 from Mangala, 21 from Raghuganga, and 44 from Annapurna moved to other districts or regions.

Gorakh Bahadur GC, a sociology professor at Myagdi Multiple Campus, noted that migration patterns in Myagdi, Syangja, and Parbat districts of Gandaki Province are quite similar.

“Despite improvements in roads, electricity, drinking water, and communication in the villages, people continue to migrate,” he said. “They are moving from villages to cities and areas with better facilities in search of employment and income opportunities.”

According to the 2078 BS census, Myagdi’s population is 113,641, residing in 29,242 families across 25,374 houses. In rural areas, the lack of young, productive residents has led to a natural population decline, with births decreasing and deaths increasing. Chitra Pun of Dhawalagiri Rural Municipality-4 said, “The tradition of collective farming has faded, leaving arable land barren and increasing reliance on imported food.”

Pradeep Pun, principal of Tikot Secondary School in Annapurna Rural Municipality-7, added that with lower birth rates and economic changes, the number of students is declining. The school, which provides education up to grade 10, now has only about 50 students.

People from Myagdi commonly migrate to Pokhara, Hemja, Kathmandu, Chitwan, Butwal, and Tanahun. Professor GC explained that while wealthier migrants move to the market to buy houses, poorer migrants come in search of work and food.

“If education is not linked to production and employment, Myagdi’s population will continue to decline and migration rates will rise,” he warned. “Development must be connected to job creation and income generation.”

Beni Municipality Mayor Surat KC said that despite efforts to develop villages, the population is moving toward urban areas or abroad, posing a major challenge. He emphasized the importance of employment generation, agriculture, and tourism in development projects.