Naresh left his home in Nepal with dreams of making money elsewhere and escaping the poverty that plagued his community. To him, he had a chance of making a life anywhere else but home.
Sadly, that didn’t turn out to be true.
After struggling to find consistent work overseas, Naresh returned to his village to pursue farming.
“I was only ever taught the previous way of farming we learned from our ancestors, which is primarily growing crops like rice, millet, corn, and wheat necessary to survive,” Naresh said. “The crops never produced enough income for myself and most in the village to be able to escape poverty.”
Three years ago, Naresh heard about Convoy of Hope’s Agriculture program. He joined, but was skeptical about what it could help him achieve.
“I wasn’t initially sold on the process. But as I slowly started to see results, it caused me to invest more time and resources into my farm.”
Naresh now successfully grows a variety of crops, including ghost chilis, tomatoes, cucumbers, and guava, across two farm areas with nine high tunnels. Last season, he sold over 250,000 rupees (roughly $2,000) in tomatoes alone.
For him, though, his farm is about more than food. He aims to create a legacy of sustainable farming and economic prosperity for future generations.
“As I continue to learn and expand my farms, I’ll be able to teach others in the village to do the same, which will increase the production in our area. I hope that I am able to pass along my knowledge to future generations and create a legacy of healthy and effective crop production in the area.”
Naresh is a picture of dedication, hard work, and inspiration for his hometown. And, with any luck, his family won’t be leaving their farm anytime soon.
