Training on Commercial Coffee Farming.

Nepal is a country that is gifted geographically. Despite the fact that the total land area of Nepal is so small, you can find different landscapes as a part of the country. However, the majority of the land area in Nepal is covered in hills. On top of that, the climate of Nepal is balanced, ideally hot during summer and cold during the winter. All these factors work together to create an environment that is ideal for coffee farming in Nepal. It is for a reason that the coffee that is produced in Nepal is considered to be among the highest standard coffee beans in the world.

Coffee is most popular and widely used drink around the globe, Coffee farming in Nepal is not only to upgrade the economic condition of rural people but also to protect the environment for next generations. Nepali coffee is high quality, rich in aroma and flavor. Nepal produces coffee without using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Coffee farming is not an easy business; coffee is one of the most traded agricultural commodities, coffee crops from the same farm can taste significantly different from year to year.

Though coffee was first produced in Nepal around 6 decades ago, it has only been around three decades since commercial coffee farming in Nepal was initiated. Though coffee is one of the most sophisticated crops to grow, as it requires great care in all the stages of the coffee production process, it is also one of the products that have the highest market values and great returns. These days, any farmer who knows the benefits of coffee farming in Nepal, would definitely choose coffee agriculture and farming over other products. Coffee Farming in Nepal has taken over the farming industry by storm.

One of the main reasons why coffee farming in Nepal is such a profitable business is the high demand of coffee. The demands exist not just in the international markets but Nepalese markets as well. Gone are the days when the Nepalese people were content with instant coffee. In the present, everyone needs organic coffee-based drinks. Now, not many people realize it but the reason behind this is also coffee farming in Nepal. Importing organic coffee from abroad causes the price of the coffee beans to go high, making it unaffordable for the majority of locals. Since the initiation of commercial coffee farming in Nepal, the locals have been getting their hands on international standard coffee at a very low price. This is one of the reasons that have influenced them to consume more coffee. Without coffee farming in Nepal, this would’ve been impossible.

The training program was conducted from 24th FEB  to 26th FEB 2021 on ‘Commercial Coffee Farming’ at Ilam where thirty members of Nirdhan Utthan Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Ltd Ilam branch office participated. The training program was organized to improve the income generation capacity of farmers through growing coffee commercially . The training program was highly successful as evident from the feedback of the participating members. The program was facilitated by the resource persons Mr. Toni Bardewa Chief of Krishi Gyan Kendra Ilam and Mr. Ananta Mani Bhattarai Assistant Professor of Mahendra Ratna Multiple Campus. The ward representative of Ilam District Sangrumba municipality ward no 12  Mr. Bhanubhakta Ghimire , branch manager of the Ilam branch of Nirdhan Utthan Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited Mr. Shiva Raj Kafle, among others were present in the event. The topics covered in the training program were field preparation, climate requirements for coffee cultivation, nursery management, and irrigation management, pest and disease management, and post-harvest, grading, value addition and other practices of coffee including field visit to coffee farm.