Myagdi. How muchincome will be earned by rearing cows and buffaloes after returning from foreign employment? This was the curiosity in my mind. Today, Topbahadur Chhetri, a resident of Jal jala Rural Municipality-8 of Parbat, has got both name and price from the work he started by working hard. He has been able to earn more than Rs 1 lakh a month by selling milk.

Chhetri, who returned after working as a driver in Saudi Arabia for 13 years, has been running the ‘Goma Cattle Farm’ since 2073 BS. He returned home after falling ill in Saudi Arabia and started rearing cattle with three cows and buffaloes when he did not see any other employment option.

At present, he has 14 cows and buffaloes, and his farm sells 90 liters of milk worth Rs 2,700 per day. He says that he saves more than Rs 100,000 per month by deducting the expenses of animal feed, medicines, and other expenses. Chhetri also produces and sells peas, paneer and ghee .

‘Now there is no loss in the business. You have to work hard, you will also earn income accordingly. “, Chhetri said, “Earlier, I had to depend on others for money and personal expenses. Now I am able to manage my household expenses and save from my own business.” ’

With the income from animal husbandry, he has also repaid the loan incurred while sending his three children abroad. He said that although he had a loan of around Rs 60 lakh during the expansion of the business, the income from animal husbandry has made it easier to manage the loan.

Top Bahadur and his wife Goma have become self-employed at the farm and have provided employment to one person. He recalled that he had to bear the loss of production due to the failure to bring milk to the market during the Corona epidemic. Chhetri, who had to face various problems due to lack of knowledge and business plan related to animal husbandry in the beginning, has recently received technical knowledge, skills and grants from the Entrepreneurship Development Project in Jaljala Rural Municipality through the Gandaki Province Government and the Responsible Organization.

He said that the management of the farm has improved after gaining training and and knowledge. He said that he has been able to bring the farm to its present state through continuous hard work and experience when even the neighbors and relatives did not trust the business.

‘Earlier, many people used to say that this business does not work. I also did not have knowledge of animal husbandry. “But gradually, as I learned, kept records and understood the market, my confidence in the business increased. The milk produced by the farmers of Farse, has been collected by the local Sangam Milk Production and Agriculture Cooperatives and made arrangements for marketing in Baglung. Khadga KC, secretary of the organization, said that arrangements have been made to buy 600 to 800 liters of milk daily from 40 farmers and sell it in Baglung. The rural municipality provides technical assistance and the Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Service Expert Center under the provincial government provides subsidy at the rate of Rs 5 per liter through the cooperatives.

Khatri plans to increase the number of cows and buffaloes in the farm to 30. He said that the production will be increased and the production and marketing of dairy products will be expanded. Chhetri said that the lack of skilled workers in the livestock business is the main challenge. He said that there is a problem in the lack of skilled manpower as regular care, feeding and cleaning are required.

For Chhetri, who returned home after spending years abroad, the cattle farm has now become not only an alternative employment but also a basis to change the economic condition of the family. He says that the business, which started with three cows, has now become a source of regular income and has also changed the financial status of the family.