By Gobinda Sharma, Banke, Nov. 25: Gehendra Dhital, a former employee of Cotton Development Committee in Khajura and also a member of Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Office of Khajura Rural Municipality, spends most of his time in his farmland.

As a political activist, he does spare time to participate in his party's meetings and programmes.

Dhital has been involved in commercial vegetable farming ever since he resigned from his post at the Cotton Development Committee some 16 years ago.

The vegetable farming has proved to be a boon for the Dhital family as the family is saving more than five lakh rupees annually from the vegetable business even after deducting the family expenses.

At present, Dhital has been cultivating vegetable and fruit adopting modern methods on two and a half bighas of land annually.

Dhital has made agricultural farming as his main occupation as it has yielded a good income for his family.

Initially, he started a crop planation on six kattha of land, however, after expanding his business model, he is now is having vegetable and fruit plantation on two and a half bighas of land.

One can see hands of ripe bananas in Dhital's farmland where tomatoes and potatoes are also grown.

“I have planting seasonal crops in my farm,” said Dhital, who was picking tomatoes in his tomato farm located at Khajura Rural Municipalty-2, Sitapur, Kegaun of Banke District on Monday, adding, "I feel immense pleasure in spending time in my farms.".

Dhital is also devoted in marketing of his produce.

Dhital has adopted mulching technique to cultivate tomatoes on a bigha of land. "Mulching technique is cost saving and it gives more production."

This method loosens the soil, keeps the soil moist for a long time and also reduces weeds, said Dhital.

Mulching technique lasts for two years, he said.

Dhital's farming is totally organic and he has not used any urea on his farm for the past 10 years.

“The crop eating insects and diseases on the farm are less likely to be observed, if there is no use of any chemical fertilizers on farm,” he said.

 He shared that risk of disease and insects gets reduced if marigold flower is planted along with vegetables.

He said that he has been learning new techniques by studying agricultural magazines and bulletins even though he has not formally participated in the training.

Dhital has got no grant from the local level except for small helps.

He has got a pond dug to harvest rain water for irrigation purposes.