Maiyya Devi Karki and her husband and three children work as farmers. It is was their parent’s profession and their grandparent’s profession. That is all they have ever known. Looking back Maiyya realizes that she did not understand marketing and product pricing. Because of this, she has identified where their farm was losing money.
Not only did she receive business and financial training, but she received additional farming and irrigation education. Their first micro-loan was invested in purchasing tomatoes seeds and organic manure. With their first harvest, she made a profit of around $140 USD (which is huge!)
Today Maiyya’s farm is producing cauliflower, cabbage, onions, carrots, tomatoes, capsicum and coriander
She says, “I have now become confident about putting into practice what I learned from the training and promoting my business. The learning will be very helpful in the way I do business and change it for the better.”
Recently, Maiyya was recognized for her efforts with the Diligent Farmer Award from her local government and was awarded a permanent greenhouse. Now her family is able to have year-round production, which is a great blessing!
She further says, “I am highly encouraged by the training and award, which has changed me and my approach. I have learned about effective farming methods such as identifying the right time for plantation, selecting better seeds and saplings, and fixing the price for agricultural produces. Other significant learnings have been about starting a business on a small scale and taking loans only when one is capable of paying it back. Moreover, a profession is also important for living a quality life. That is why we are serious about pursuing farming professionally and in a dedicated way. We hope our efforts will lead to success.”
“Finally, I would like to thank Mentors International for supporting and encouraging farmers like us to change our approaches and develop professional skills.”
