Macadamia farmer Bindu Darji has a big smile because she just sold 22 lbs of freshly harvested nuts for nearly $100, and in rural Nepal that’s good earnings! Bindu Darji wins! She and her family of five have three mature macadamia trees, which produced 62 lbs. of nuts...
SODEC Director Parshu Dahal with Macadamia farmer Bhesh Raj Basnet…and his tall macadamia trees! Farmer demand for our macadamia seedlings is at an all-time high…and going up!! Why? Because after waiting patiently for 5-6 years to see how our first saplings would do,...
Organic Coffee Farmer Exposure Visit Coffee farmers exposure visit…and coffee cherries drying in the sun. In February, we sponsored an exposure visit to educate our lead organic coffee farmers on a new method of coffee cherry processing. Only one coffee farm in Nepal...
Lila Karki shows off her first macadamia nut harvest; coffee ripening on the bush and plant care. In 2021, CLN trained 117 coffee and nut farmers on pruning, pest management, and making organic compost to increase plant production. We are proud that about one-third of...
Sonam Sherpa checks the coffee on one of his bushes. He planted this coffee bush 6 years ago. This year Sonam earned over $200 from coffee, and he expects to be earning more next year as his plants mature. The annual per capita income in Nepal is ~$1000 so $200 is...
Goma Katuwal showing off one of her 65 macadamia nut trees. She’s pleased they are growing so well! Life in remote Himalayan villages continues in a routine, regardless of the world beyond. Crops have to be planted, animals have to be tended, and daily chores...
Planting macadamia trees is a commitment to the future. Macadamia nuts are an important part of our organic coffee program because they can provide essential shade for coffee bushes plus extra income for farmers. Planted on the same land as coffee, macadamia nut trees...
Ratna Mani has 6 mature almond trees--like the one he’s standing with here. They produced over 20 lbs of nuts this year. With 2 children and a shortage of food, the family ate all 20 lbs. to supplement to their regular diet and provide a good source of protein. We are...
Deana talks with farmers about finding a market for organic coffee. We stay personally involved with our projects and regularly visit farmers in remote areas of Nepal. On the most recent field visit, CLN donors Bill Winfield and Armanita Dhooghe joined Deana for a...
Management committee of a coffee farmers group. CLN has helped organize the farmer groups and get them registered with the local government. This is Year 4 of the Organic Coffee Project. We have added 80 new farmers in the...
Top Producing Coffee Farmer in 2019: Dil Kumar Tamang.Photo credit: A. Dhooghe Coffee farmer Dil Kumar Tamang sold around $2000 of coffee this year from 600 trees. These first trees were planted in 2015, and he now has 4000 younger trees that will begin to produce in...
CLN and local non-profit partner Society Development Center (SODEC) initiated the Organic Coffee program two years ago in the village area where Director Parshu Dahal grew up. Then as now, people walk 7-8 hours in order to sell the few extra vegetables they might have...
Design: Misha Gehring
Photos: Deana Zabaldo
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