How Ribdikot built a Rs460 million farming economy

Ribdikot Rural Municipality in Palpa has transformed into a vibrant agricultural hub, generating substantial income and opportunities for its residents. Farmers like Bhim Bahadur Raut, who returned from foreign employment six years ago, are now earning more and finding greater satisfaction by raising buffaloes and growing vegetables, with seasonal sales ranging from Rs500,000 to Rs700,000.

Sita Kunwar, another farmer, exemplifies this success. With four cows and two buffaloes, she sells over 50 liters of milk daily and generated more than Rs1 million this season from cucumbers, tomatoes, and milk. She has expanded her operations by leasing additional land, attributing her success to improved market access for vegetable farming.

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I am more satisfied and earning more by working in my own village than I did abroad.

Across all eight wards of the rural municipality, commercial agriculture and livestock farming are expanding. Data indicates that both production and turnover have more than doubled in the past four years, driven by steady investment in agricultural and livestock development. This has significantly boosted farmers' incomes, with youths returning from abroad and women increasingly embracing commercial farming.

In the fiscal year 2024-25, agricultural and fruit products generated over Rs260 million, while livestock and poultry products contributed Rs204.037 million. Specific products like Akabare chillies alone brought in Rs77.5 million, tomatoes Rs70 million, and oranges Rs60 million. Milk sales alone accounted for Rs36.5 million across the municipality. The municipality's investment in agriculture has proven effective, according to Geeta Nepali, chief of the livestock development section, with turnover rising from Rs236 million in fiscal 2022-23 to Rs310 million in 2023-24.

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Vegetable farming is generating good income now because access to markets has become easier.