Himalayan News Service

Pyuthan, April 1:

Having come to know about the benefits of Amala (myrobalan), Chandra Bahadur Thapa of Raspurkot VDC now seems to be quite keen in Amala business.

Amala, which can be easily collected from the forest free of cost, can be a good source of income by using it for preparing different varities of foodstuff.

Locals in Pyuthan, who had participated in the Amala refining training programme recently organised as a joint venture of Forest Programme for Livelihood (FPL) and Micro-enterprises Development Programme (MDP), are determined to be self-employed by taking up myrobalan business. Altogether 19 persons, including 12 women, had participated in the programme. At the programme, training was given to prepare three kinds of squash, pickles, candy, pachak, pustkari, powders, jam and so on. According to participants of the programme, the training has been very useful for them to become self-employed by generating income from foodstuffs made out of Amala. As the raw material to prepare Amala items are easily available in the forest, no money is spent to collect the raw material for the business, said Bijaya JC of MDP, Pyuthan. In order to promote the business, MDP is ready to assist the farmers, he said. Bishnu Pokhrel of FPL said that the training would help farmers prepare Amala products. “By opening up an Amala refining centre, I am determined to be self-employed,” Chandra Bahadur added. After preparing different varities of foodstuffs, oil can be made from Amala seeds, he said.

FPL is also helping farmers in Jumrikandha VDC to plant herbs like chiraito while MDP has used micro-entrepreneurships to create self-employed at eight different market centres in the district. It is MDP and FPL, which are helping more and more locals to be self-employed here.

After the trend of being self-employed began in the district, the number of people going to India has decreased. At the same time, many NGOs and social organisations have showed their interest in assisting people in this mission.