Riverbed farming to be promoted

Bhadrapur/ November 26: Stress has been laid on utilising the river banks for farming, with farmers increasingly resorting to river bank farming as of late.

Farming has recently started in the river banks of Mai, Mawa, Biring, Mechi, Deunia among others in Jhapa. Low-income farmers are growing vegetables and fruits like cucumber, gourd, pumpkin, bitter gourd and water melon in the river banks.

According to latest statistics, there are some 68,000 hectares of river bank in 21 districts in the Tarai. However, only around 1,300 hectares are being used for cultivation, said coordinator of Helvetas Nepal Prasad Chettri. River bank farming using takes place during the dry season from January to May.

Currently, around 5950 farmers are reportedly involved in river bank farming across the country.

Speaking at a function organized to discuss about the possibility of river bank farming here on Wednesday, Local Development Officer Pradip Niroula said landless farmers could benefit from river bank farming.

Chief of Agriculture Development Office Bhadrapur Meghnath Timalsena presided over the programme. RSS