Shree Trishakti Agriculture Cooperative, located in Hetauda-17, Makawanpur, is a women-led cooperative established on January 26, 2022, as part of the Empowering Women for Social Well-being and Sustainable Agriculture project. This initiative received funding from KZE/MISEREOR, Germany and is implementing by Srijanshil Nepal (Local NGO) in Makawanpur, with supervision from Caritas Nepal.
Shree Trishakti is located in the mid-hill region of Hetauda sub-metropolitan city, in Makawanpur district of Bagmati province, Nepal. This area lies in the Upper Tropical Vegetation and Climate Zone (300-1000 meters from sea level) with majority population of marginalized ethnic groups like Magar Chepang, Tamang and Dalit.
The cooperative was formed through the networks of women members of 27 women groups from 3 wards (ward nos. 16, 17, and 18). It has a total of 323 members, comprising 38.69% Brahmin and Chhetries, 16.71% Dalit and 44.58% Ethnic communities.
The major objective of this cooperative is to empower women farmers through saving credit and promote agro ecological practices. This cooperative (Learning Center) majorly focuses on all four dimensions of agroecology, namely socio-cultural, environmental, economic and political dimensions.
Crops, animals found in the site (if farm) and methods, techniques applied:
- Collective farming: In the major challenge of labour shortage due to youth migrating abroad and changing their career from agriculture, women members have united together to do farming in a collective approach. Several networking groups and the cooperative itself have done collective farming of ginger and chilies in 5 Katha (1690 Sq. Meter) of land, group farming of potato and similarly, they have also done a farming of neglected crop such as sweet potato 2.5 Katha (847 Sq. Meter) to conserve and promote it.
- Trial Research: To compare the cost of production and yield, the cooperative is conducting trial on chemical vs chemical-free production of ginger in 2/2 Kathas(677 Sq. Meter) (two place), bean in 2 Katha(677 Sq. Meter), red bean in 2 katha (677 Sq. Meter) of land where member themselves get involve in intercultural operations and keep records of the trial study.
- Local seed Exchange Center: The cooperative has a seed exchange center where networks of women group conduct seed exchange programs. The center collects local seeds from different localities. Currently, they have total of 44 local seeds of vegetables and cereals such as paddy, maize, wheat, pumpkin, squash, chilies, mustard etc. in their seed exchange center.
- Homestead based farming: The cooperative is promoting homestead-based farming for enhancing family economy and nutrition. In the homestead farming system, farmers cultivate diversified crops in same land and they integrate their crops with other components such as livestock, forest and water management together. At present, 228 women member of the network are practicing integrated farming where livestock, poultry and diversified crops are integrated together.
- Botanical pest repellent and fertilizer preparation: The women members are engaged in preparation of botanical pest repellent and fertilizer such as jhol mal which is prepared by using various pungent smelling plant such as asuro (Malabar nut), titepati (mugwort), khiroetc mixed with FYM, cow urine and other items such as garlic chilly and so on. Likewise, they are also preparing compost and Bokasi mal for the fertilizers. As a result, the farmers are transforming themselves to using organic fertilizer in their field.
- Soil fertility management: To countermeasure various problem arisen from mono-cropping, chemical pesticides and fertilizer such as deterioration of soil health, maximum risk in crop loss, problem of disease pest infestation, the cooperative is promoting mixed cropping, intercropping and crop rotation.
- Diversified nursery establishment: The cooperative have established vegetable nursery where they are growing seedlings of several vegetables such as cucumber, gourd, pumpkin, chilly, tomato and so on. Similarly, they are planning to establish nursery of fodder/forage crops and fruit crops.
Advocacies and campaigns:
- Network of women members: This cooperative comprises a 3-tier network of women members, including 27 community-level groups, 3 ward-level groups, and a municipal-level cooperative. Through this network, women advocate for local seed conservation, promote agroecology, and address various socio-economic issues.
- Agroecology promotion campaign: The cooperative and its network frequently organize rally events regarding promotion of agroecology, local seed conservation and climate justice with active participation of women members where they invite representatives of local governmental bodies to draw their attention to these crucial issues.
- Social and environmental campaign:
- Since it is a women-led cooperative, they are also involved in raising their voice against women and social issues, on which they organize 16 days action on gender violence on yearly basis.
- To preserve traditional farming system and culture, women members organize in paddy day celebration on 15th of Ashad (30th July) where all members gather to plant local paddy and they sing and dance in cultural songs.
- Similarly, they are also advocating for environment conservation and climate justice. For environment conservation, they conduct plantation program every year. They have planted 351 fruits, herbal and fodder Plants in year 2023.
Summary of Impacts:
With the establishment of this cooperative whose major objective is to promote agroecology and sustainable agriculture, the following impacts can be observed.
- Most of the women members are using botanical pest repellent and fertilizer in their field.
- 123 women members using indigenous (local) and locally available improved varieties of seeds.
- 228women member’s farmers practicing integrated farming.
- 224women group members have diversified kitchen garden in their household.
- With regular lobbying with government about the effect of chemical pesticides and fertilizer, governmental bodies who were only focused on intensive chemical farming has come with the new activities where farmers get subsidies for organic farming practice.
- Traditional farming system and cultures of celebrating farming days are revived with the initiation of the cooperative.
