Four farmers honored with ‘Bhimdatta Best Farmer Award’ in Far West Province

Far West: The Far West Provincial Government has honored four farmers with the ‘Bhimdatta Best Farmer Award’ this year for their significant contributions to the agriculture sector.

Secretary of the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives Shankar Sah informed that four individuals have been recognized for their notable achievements through agricultural activities.

The awardees are Dhansingh Sitoli of Naugad Rural Municipality-2, Darchula, Manoj Khanal of Ghodaghodi Municipality-2, Kailali, Rita Kumari Deuba of Chure Rural Municipality-1, Kailali, and Kaluwa Kami of Bedkot Municipality-5, Kanchanpur.

They were each awarded Rs 75,000 along with certificates by Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives Bir Bahadur Thapa during a program organized in Dhangadhi on Wednesday.

Among the awarded farmers, Kami of Bedkot Municipality has been commercially cultivating vegetables on three bighas of land, while Sitoli of Darchula has been cultivating vegetables on 15 ropanis of land. Deuba of Kailali has been involved in fruit farming and orange production, while Khanal of Ghodaghodi has been commercially cultivating fish on 17 bighas of land, producing around 500 metric tons of fish annually.

Speaking at the program, Minister Thapa said receiving an award established in the name of Bhim Dutt Pant, a revolutionary farmer leader who promoted agricultural land ownership through the message “Either plow the field, or leave the field” and “Whoever tills the field is his own vessel,” is a matter of pride for farmers.

He urged the award-winning farmers to continue working with greater enthusiasm and motivate others toward agriculture. The provincial government has been honoring and rewarding farmers every year with the objective of developing agriculture as a respected profession.

“Farmers are the providers of food, so their respect is necessary. The government is also working to promote the use of technology to reduce production costs, climate-adapted agricultural practices and market access for agricultural products. We should all work together to build the foundation for national development through agriculture,” Minister Thapa said.

Ministry Secretary Sah emphasized the need to promote agriculture as a means of ensuring a dignified livelihood and increasing its contribution to the country’s gross domestic product.

The awarded farmers expressed happiness that the provincial government has continued to provide recognition and encouragement to farmers since last year.

The provincial-level awards were presented on Asad 15 from among the best farmers selected at the district level within the fiscal year.