DADELDHURA: As many as 5,000 farmers in Dadeldhura have filled out forms to secure their farmers’ identity cards.

Dinesh Sapkota, senior officer at Agriculture Development Office, Dadeldhura, said that 5,000 peasants from two municipalities and six VDCs had filled out forms for the identity cards.

The campaign was launched three months ago targeting 15,000 farmers. The deadline expired a week ago. The campaign covered Aalital, Asigram, Koteli, Bhageswor, Bagarkot, Samaiji, Amargadi, and Parshuram municipality, among other places.

National Agriculture Policy 2005 states that food security will be ensured by providing necessary facilities to farmers after identifying farmers who lack access to resources.

Ministry of Agriculture Development had introduced identity card distribution and directed that they be provided to farmers along wth agro-tools; and agricultural materials at low price along with agrarian materials and tools.

Sapkota said that they had chosen Dadeldhura as a sample district from the far west for identity card distribution.

Local social activist Lalita Hamal said that the intricate procedure had deterred farmers from taking the service. “Land ownership certificate is mandatory to gain identity card. However, many farmers have not transferred land to their names from their grandparents,” Hamal said.