Khanikhola farmers shift from maize and buckwheat to coffee cultivation

In the hills of Khanikhola Rural Municipality-2, Kavrepalanchok, Nepal, a green revolution is underway. Farmers are replacing fields once dedicated to maize, millet, and mustard with coffee orchards, transforming the landscape and their economic prospects. This shift signifies a move away from low-yield crops that barely sustained families towards a more profitable and less labor-intensive agricultural venture.

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Earlier, maize farming required a lot of hard work throughout the season. Coffee does not need that level of effort. We only need to remove weeds and apply pesticides when necessary.

Coffee cultivation has brought a significant change to the area, becoming a primary income source for many households. Tilak Bahadur Bal, 55, highlights the reduced labor burden compared to maize farming. "Coffee does not need that level of effort," he stated, noting that the main tasks involve weeding and occasional pesticide application. Bal's own experience underscores the financial benefits: he earned approximately Rs800,000 to Rs900,000 from 500 coffee plants last year, an income far exceeding what traditional crops could provide.

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Last year, I earned around Rs800,000 to Rs900,000 from 500 plants. We could never earn that much from maize, mustard or buckwheat.

Pioneers like Ran Bahadur Thokar in Mahadevtar began coffee farming in 2015 when it was an uncommon practice. Despite initial skepticism, his farm has expanded to about 1,000 plants. Market prices have also seen a substantial increase, rising from around Rs250 per kg to about Rs1,100 per kg. Punya Kumari Khulal, who started three years ago, earned Rs47,000 from 40 kg this season, already finding it more profitable than maize, paddy, and mustard.

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It is still early, but the income is already better than maize, paddy and mustard.

The burgeoning coffee sector has also spurred growth in local nurseries. Padam Bahadur Gole, a nursery owner, initially struggled with low demand, selling only a few saplings from his stock of 3,000. Now, demand has surged, with farmers purchasing hundreds of saplings at a time. Gole sold about 14,000 saplings this year, with demand still on the rise. Abiral Lopchan, who has been farming coffee for five years, plans to double his plantation, also engaging in sapling sales.

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Farmers now come directly to the nursery. Some take 300 to 400 saplings at a time. This year I sold about 14,000 saplings, and demand is still rising.