Farmers receiving 400 hybrid buffalo to promote employment

Khotang, March 18: Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality of Khotang district has launched a distribution of hybrid buffaloes to the farmers in a bid to promote employment.

The campaign has begun not only to make farmers self-employed but also to ensure the local level’s self-sufficiency in buffalo meat. The buffalo bulls worth Rs 6.2 million are being distributed in this fiscal year.

The deputy mayor of the municipality, Bishan Rai, informed that the buffalo bulls were bought from Terai to distribute to the farmers via their groups. The bulls are of improved species. “We’re planning to distribute 400 buffalo bulls this year.

The farmers will get the bulls at a 75 percent subsidized rate under the agriculture program of the local level,” he said, adding that 200 bulls have been distributed so far. There are 15 wards in the municipality. The local levels that have received the livestock so far are wards 3, 4, 5, 7, and 15.

The bulls worth Rs 1.2 million were provided to the farmers from ward no. 5. Agriculture section chief at the municipality, Tej Prakash Jaishi, informed that the farmers need to bear 25 percent of the total price for the buffalo bull.

The farmers’ groups deposit the money and transport buffalo to the concerned sheds. It was informed that agriculture is the priority in the municipality, so the distribution of buffalo bulls would help promote employment for the youths.

Rearing buffalo also helps make compost, which is used for crops and vegetables. For the commercialization of agriculture, the farmers are provided grants to cultivate fruit, coffee, and vegetables. —RSS