Every year thousands of men from Karnali travel to India (going to Kalapahad as they call it here) to work as porters and labourers. But Padam Mahat of Jumla left a well-paying job in Kathmandu to return to his village in Mahatgaun just so he could grow apples. Today his farm does not just have organic apples but fruits of all kinds that are cultivated around the world. "Now that the road has come to Jumla, I am less worried about the market," he says.

Mahat is the first man from Karnali to pass the SLC (School leaving Certificate), following which he came to Kathmandu to further his education. He wanted to become a pilot. But a visit to Himachal Pradesh in India, while working for the Land Reforms Office, changed everything. He saw how cultivation of fruits and medicinal herbs had transformed the region. Mahat had always been pained by how his classmates in Kathmandu looked down on him because he was from Jumla. He thought this was his chance to change things. After the trip, Mahat headed back to his village, this time for good. It's been 28 years, and Mahat has single-mindedly pursued apple farming in this time.

Starting with five apple trees on one ropani (508.72 m�) of land, Mahat now has more than 5,000 apple trees of 23 types growing over 110 ropanis (5.5 hectares) of land. He also grows 7 types of pears, 11 types of walnuts and 3 types of peaches and chillies on his farm. He has cultivated cumin, fennel seeds and medicinal herbs as well. Upto 20 people work on his farm, which has become a destination for study tours for local farmers. In fact many farmers now practice improved terrace farming, which they learnt from Mahat.

Mahat's youngest son is planning to expand operations and purchase a machine for processing apples. The father-son duo have established Nabin Organic Multipurpose Cooperative and are now looking into working with other farmers like them.

READ ALSO:
No Dasain for finance staffers
Maoists to buy Khanna Garment
Nepali in my heart