By Our Correspondent
Nepalgunj, Dec. 14: Farmers who grow mustard and wheat in the western part of the country are now happy with the supply of irrigation water from the Sikta Irrigation Project.
It is a major irrigation project in the region that has helped farmers grow off-season crops and vegetables.
The land that used to remain barren in off-season in previous years is now green with wheat and mustard plants.
“It is because we got irrigation facility,” Narendra Barma, a local resident of Rhanjha, said. He is a farmer to begin off-season farming in the area.
Another farmer Jivan Tharu of Baijnath Rural Municipality is expecting better production too. “Paddy production increased in the season and I hope wheat and mustard would maximise too,” he added.
According to Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Nepalgunj, the irrigation project provided five cusec water to the farmers in response to their demand for irrigation in 20,000 hectares of land in various areas like Dadhuwas, Kohalpur, Nepalgunj, Khajura and Baijnathpur in Banke district.
Sagar Dhakal, head of Agriculture Knowledge Centre, said that agro production increased by 25 per cent because it got irrigation on time. “Number of farmers increased in agro farming on one hand and barren lands transformed into fertile fields after irrigation facility was provided,” he added.
Sikta project itself is expecting for a better agro production in the region. Lok Bahadur Thapa, irrigation project head, said that farmers were getting water supply from the tunnel. “We recorded better paddy production this year, off-season production will give similar result,” he said.
There is 100 kilometer long tunnel constructed for the farmers to irrigate their plots. Sikta Irrigation Project is a national pride project that began 14 years ago. It had targeted irrigating 34,000 hectares of fertile lands in the district.
However the project is still incomplete. Authorities say only 65 per cent work is completed till this date. Rs. 12.7 billion initial project cost is to double due to the delay.