Communal farming gives hope to dalits

RSS

KHALANGA (SALYAN), Oct 28 - Dalit families in Salyan district have been attracted to communal farming. Many ultra-poor Dalit families in Salebaltakura VDC-7, which is adjoined to district headquarters Khalanga, have been earning a decent living through the communal farming of off-season vegetables, goat raising and bee keeping.

The families have created a fund and maintained a bank account of their own. The fund is used to lend loan to the members in times of need, said Nokhi BK, a member of Ghatterani Dalit Forest Group.

The 20 Dalit families of the village collect Rs 25 daily from each family in the fund.

They have maintained Rs 7,000 in a bank account and invested Rs 10,000 among the members.

The Dalit families began communal farming some five years. The district forest office has provided 2.32 hectares of land to the group on land and district livestock services office has provided goats to the group for income-generating activities.

The members of the group said they feel very happy to work in group and they were committed to develop the village into a model.

Secretary of the group Durga Nepali however lamented lack of support from government bodies except the forest and livestock offices.