Laxman and his family have always worked hard. Living in Bajura, one of Nepal’s most remote districts, he farmed a small patch of land with his wife Janma, growing maize, rice, and barley to feed their household. But the crops only ever stretched so far — and with two children and his parents to support, the family struggled to get by.

Most vegetables in the area came from Surkhet or across the border from India, making them expensive and hard to come by. Laxman had tried growing his own, but unpredictable weather kept defeating him.

A new way of farming

When INF Nepal launched the RISE project in Bajura, Laxman joined a local self-help group and began learning about climate-smart vegetable farming. He took part in a three-day training and received practical support to put his new knowledge to work: an iron frame greenhouse, drip irrigation equipment, and quality seeds.

For the first time, the weather was no longer working against him.

In his first season, Laxman grew tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and cabbages — crops he could sell locally. He earned around £168 — a 75% return on his investment — from that single harvest alone.

A small plot with big potential

Laxman now farms year-round, using drip irrigation, mulching, and botanical pesticides in his poly-house. He now has 120 tomato seedlings growing – all of it in demand just down the road.

His wife Janma reflected on how much has changed:

“My small piece of land is now a source of hope and a step toward a better future.”

What looked like a limitation — a tiny plot in a remote, drought-prone district — has become something to build on. With the right training and support, Laxman has turned food insecurity into a sustainable livelihood, and is showing others in his community what’s possible.