Kamala Adhikari's Journey to Thriving Coffee Farming

  • Madan Bhusal
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Kamala Adhikari, a 46-year-old coffee farmer from Salakpur, Rong-6, Illam struggled for years with low profits from her farming activities. She primarily grew cardamom and Amriso (broom-grass) but the declining production of cardamom made it increasingly difficult to support her family. Determined to find a better source of income, Kamala looked for alternatives and found an opportunity when her local municipality started promoting coffee farming by distributing subsidized coffee saplings. Kamala decided to give it a try and planted 20-25 coffee saplings, which brought her a modest income. In her first year of coffee farming, she harvested 65 kg of coffee beans and in the following year, she produced 45 kg. Although her coffee farming was still small-scale, she saw its potential as a sustainable and profitable livelihood.

Her journey took a positive turn when Kamala became part of the Caritas Nepal NLRP 2 project. This project identified her as a promising coffee farmer and provided her with much-needed support to improve her farming practices. Through the project, Kamala received valuable training on best farming practices, including how to create and use fertilizers effectively, which greatly improved the health and productivity of her coffee plants. Additionally, she participated in training sessions on pest management, organized in collaboration with the Nepal Coffee Board, which helped her better manage pests and diseases that could harm her crops.

In addition to training, Kamala received a cash grant of 25,000 rupees from Caritas Nepal, which allowed her to plant an additional 300 coffee saplings. Although these saplings will take time to mature, Kamala is confident that the investment will pay off in the coming years. With the new knowledge and support from Caritas Nepal, she is now able to manage her farm more efficiently, ensuring better yields and profits.

Today, Kamala’s coffee farming has become a reliable source of income for her family. Her hard work and the guidance she received have transformed her small-scale farm into a profitable venture. She now harvests more coffee and plans to expand her farm further. Kamala’s success is a testament to the power of training, innovation, and support in helping farmers overcome challenges and improve their livelihoods. Her story inspires others in her community to explore new farming opportunities and work towards a sustainable future.

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