The blooming ground

In a field trip we coordinated in 2009, 10 farmers and teachers from Namje and Thumki went on a tour around Permaculture and organic farms of Nepal from Chitwan, Pokhara to Kathmandu. Not knowing where it would lead us and how it would foster on the ground, we visited environmentalists and agriculturalists to take lessons from their farms.

Since then, Hari Ale Magar has attended numerous workshops, extended the network and also has received training in Permaculture design. With his guidance along with Temba and Pathiman, the Thumki plot has grown to embody Permaculture and organic farming philosophies and now accommodates over 50 different species of plants along with nurseries and compost stations. Along with the development of the plot, they have also been training and educating the community to build a stronger grassroots approach. In a few years the farm hopes to evolve into a regional centre demonstrating alternative sustainability.