PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The nearest town is Damauli, which is 150 km (six hours by bus) west of Katmandu, and about 50 km (a few hours) east from Pokhara. The main guesthouse is located on the Baniya Farm, which is the first fully functioning organic farm and training center in the area. There is a brand new educational center and farm at the base of the hill that connects many villages. It is a place for farmers to come and learn about organic farming and to be trained.

A school was recently constructed of straw, but they hope to construct a better building. They have need for long and short term teachers.

The medical outpost needs support and they would accept any medical knowledge. If a volunteer is going to focus on the medical outpost, he or she will stay in housing that is located next to the hospital.

SADP is concerned that villagers are urbanizing at an alarming rate. Therefore, they are focusing on education, farming, health, and eco-tourism to bring money to the Kasti region and create a better standard of living to give people a reason to stay.

SADP GOALS

• To promote organic agriculture by creating awareness through demonstration, action, research, and development.
• To provide farming communities with the relevant skills and technology for better food production and income generation in a sustainable way.
• To create a forum for researchers, development professionals, farming communities, funding organizations, and academia for research and development in sustainable agriculture.
• To provide training and professional services to the organization and individuals involved in sustainable agriculture development.
• To empower rural communities and improve their level of understanding, access to resources, information, and markets related by establishing organic agriculture resource center.
• To advocate in the favor of organic agriculture and its importance in the national and international level.

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IN NEPAL

Nepal is an agriculture-based economy with about 85% of the population dependent on agriculture; whereas 80 % of the population survives as agriculture laborers. Despite farmers doing hard labor, they are unable to improve their quality of living and instead live in miserable poverty.

In Nepal, modern technology has been implemented to increase the supply of agriculture production. It has a history of using chemical fertilizers and pesticides for the last 35 years for higher agriculture production yields. This includes genetic modification, chemical fertilizers and synthetic pesticides in agriculture. Although the use of these chemicals provides instant benefits, in long run these chemicals destroy the production capacity and nutritional value of the soil; negatively impacting human life and leading to other environmental problems, such as decimating the natural variety of plants.

Since there are various places in Nepal that are still beyond the reach of these chemical inputs due to lack of transportation, we still have time to make them aware of the situation and stop using such chemicals. Farmers of Nepal are still far from all the negative environmental effects of the inorganic methods.

Before the use of chemical fertilizers, the quality of rice was very high and full of flavor. While the rice was being cooked in the kitchen, all the surrounding areas would be full of the aroma. With the use of fertilizers, the quality of rice has deteriorated; the production is high but the quality of taste and nutritional value has diminished. Due to the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, all agriculture products are being contaminated and unhealthy. Also, using these kinds of chemicals negatively impacts the ecosystem and has a direct effect on climatic change and global warming.

Organic agriculture means agricultural systems that promote the environmentally, socially and economically sound production of crops. With respect to the natural capacity of plants, animals and local conditions, it aims to optimize quality production in all aspects of agriculture and the environment. We must not think of agriculture with a commercial mind –viewing it for our individual benefits. Rather, by properly utilizing natural resources, which are gifts of nature, we should be able to produce high quality agricultural products while compensating for nature.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT SADP

Education/Children:

• Teach children a variety of subjects in the orphanage
• Work in the school for the deaf

Business:

• Provide business and skills training
• Share experience and knowledge in business, leadership, and other relevant areas

Agriculture and Sustainable Farming:

• Share knowledge and experience in organic farming methods
• Create awareness through demonstrations, skills training, research and development
• Work on the farms
• Work on forestry projects

Public Health:

• Provide general healthcare awareness programs and services
• Work at the Tibetan refugee camp
• Care for and educate HIV victims

General:

• Visit surrounding villages for cultural exchange
• Participate in local festivals and other cultural activities

Excursions

There are also extra adventurous opportunities such as white water rafting in the Seti River and Annapurna trekking. A visit to the Royal Chitwan National Park and an elephant safari are other attractions (though these activities cost extra).

ACCOMMODATIONS AT SADP

Housing

Volunteers are hosted in the guest rooms or huts of their host families, depending on their volunteer activity. Double-occupancy is available if travelling as a couple.  All rooms contain western-style beds with linens and mosquito nets.

Most bathroom facilities consist of outdoor pit latrines. Some accommodations have rudimentary flush toilets. For bathing, showers have been constructed in most volunteer locations; otherwise volunteers are provided with basins of warm water for use in a washroom or shower.

Meals

Meals are prepared for volunteers by their host family. Volunteers who have special dietary needs or food allergies should note their needs on their volunteer application so Village Volunteers can notify the SADP staff in advance.

Drinking Water

Although they will provide bottled water, we ask that you bring a water filter so that they do not buy and dispose of plastic bottles.

Electricity

There is electricity in nearly all villages of Nepal, however they have sweeping outages on a daily basis and it cannot be relied upon at all times.

Internet Access

There is little to no internet access when on a farm in Nepal.  Your host will supply you with internet access through a satellite phone connection on occasion, but it is very slow and should only be used for the most necessary occasions.  It’s best to tell your friends and family that you will be out of touch.

Laundry

Volunteers have the option of laundering their own clothing or paying a fee to have it done for them. All volunteers must launder their own undergarments.

MEET THE DIRECTOR OF SADP: RAMESH NATH SHARMA

Reflections on Ramesh’s childhood and family

I was born in a town named Pokhara, where I got my education. I have two younger brothers who are settled with their families. I have a wife with three kids, two daughters and one son. My eldest daughter is married and has two daughters. My son is recently married and working in the bank. My younger daughter is in Texas in the USA working. My wife is works in a government job in Kathmandu. I have been involving in the field of organic agriculture and social work for more than 15 years.

The challenges Ramesh faced getting an education

My parents provided me with all the facilities to get an education. My father was a politician and established a school in our village more than 63 years ago. After school I went to college in Pokhara town.  During my college education I joined a government job.  My lovely mother used to be sick so I needed to cook everything for my family while studying in school. My brothers were small and my father was a politician/teacher so he could not give the time for this job. I also had to take care and feed the cows. One challenge during my education was that there was no democracy in the country so the student should had to fight to get democracy.

What inspired Ramesh in his work in organic agriculture and how he got started?

From my childhood I was attracted to agriculture. While studying in primary school the 4 H club was introduced by Nepal Government with assistance from the US Government and I became a member of this club. Every member had to grow vegetables and other crops for this purpose and parents had to provide a small patch of land. The main objective was to grow vegetable and sell it at market so they can get money to buy copies, and pencils to learn how to survive independently.  To encourage the members they used to arrange a vegetable competition program. In the competition I participated and got prizes. The first time I competed I got third prize for my radish and the second time I got 1^st prize for my cauliflower. From that time on I was inspired in agriculture to grow vegetables.

I was hoping to study agriculture after my school education unfortunately there was not a college of agriculture in our town. To study agriculture I had to go to another district. In that time there were no roads connected to Pokhara to reach to this district so I had to walk more than 5 days. Although I did do well in my entrance examination and was in 1^st position, my parents denied me to go there. It made me sad but I was compelled to study in the local college in my town.  My zeal was in agriculture so while working in the government office, I used to take field trips to the villages. I used to stimulate interest in growing vegetables to the villagers.  Sometimes I would to carry seeds to them. In those days I had not known of organic agriculture. After some years I met one person who inspired me to do organic agriculture.  After hearing of him I became exited to start organic agriculture. This was the right track of my life.

I started with a company to begin organic agriculture and leased about 50 hector of land with local government. We fenced and ploughed etc., but in the meantime the Maoist did not allow doing the job. They threatened us so we had to give it over. I was very disappointed. Then I went to Pokhara my home town where I worked with hydropower project.  Again, my zeal interest all time push me to go again to organic agriculture so met some friends I just put my interest and explain about this subject and some of the friends became ready to firm a nonprofit organization which now is existing and I working with which is SADP-Nepal.

 What obstacles did Ramesh face?

Of course in beginning there were obstacles to gear up the organization, we did not have the funds if there no funds no staff can be hired. Everything I had to do myself other directors used to only attending board meeting. I tried to find some person who can help me as volunteer I got success to get such person. As I found him we did lot of job to carry out the things properly. Gradually we started organic farm, contacted to national and international organization that’s why we are the partner organization of Village Volunteers in USA and other organization nationally and internationally.

 What are your hopes for the future of SADP?

We will get success to achieve the goal of the organization even though it will take some more time. Recently we have established organic agriculture resource center where we have been conducting several trainings, workshops. Many people are visiting this center. Farmers are happy to get such center in their locality from where they can get more information regarding organic agriculture. Our ultimate goal is to convert this center as an institute where many students from poor farmer’s family can be benefitted.

 How has SADP’s partnership with Village Volunteers affected your work?

Very good, this partnership should be continued forever. Volunteers use to pay for their volunteering with us from which we can make surplus and use this money for development of organic agriculture in Nepal. Only the thing, there are not that many volunteers are coming.

How does your community benefit from having volunteers?

Of course the communities are benefitted from the volunteers. They have culture exchange, the volunteers have been doing farm work, and people are motivated when foreign people are working in the farm as they have come from so far away.