About Us
Background:
65% of Nepal’s population is engaged in agriculture which contributes to 32% of the GDP of the nation. Until the 1970s, Nepal was ranked fourth globally as an exporter of rice; however, today Nepal imports rice worth 32 billion rupees and other agricultural products worth trillions of rupees.
Seed dependency is also on the rise. The country is importing seeds for cereal, vegetable, and pulse from different countries. Consequently, the seed is becoming expensive and inaccessible to farmers. There is a growing risk that the entire land may have to be left fallow due to unavailability of right seeds and other agricultural materials. In addition, increased application of fertilizers and pesticides has resulted in the loss of soil productivity, and also an increase in soil, water, and air pollution. This problem is further exaggerated due to the replacement of agricultural tools and products by plastic. In addition, loss of indigenous knowledge and skills and youth migration for job opportunities is a serious threat to agriculture in Nepal.
To overcome such challenges, Raithaane Agri Products Nepal is an initiative of a multidisciplinary team of professionals with decades of experience in various sectors and aims to conserve, promote and expand indigenous agriculture products by facilitating the process with producers/farmers and end consumers. The Company is registered in Kathmandu in 2076 (2019) under the Company Act.
Goal:
“To conserve and promote Raithaane products and associated knowledge and skills, including their access to marketing”
Objectives:
- Capacity building of local, provincial, and federal governments, cooperatives, and farmers for conservation and production of Raithaane crops and products.
- To promote and facilitate the environment-friendly production and marketing of Raithaane agricultural products.
- To identify, produce, and market the Raithaane agriculture products and non-timber forest products (NTFP).
- To collaborate with organizations or companies with a similar vision, mission, and values.
Core Values:
High-quality products and effective services along with reasonable prices are the core values of Raithaane. From production to marketing utmost care is taken to maintain the high quality of the products. We provide products and services with the environment and human health as one of the main focuses. We make sure that producers and consumers receive fair value for their produce. The satisfaction of the producers and consumers (clients at both ends) is our motto.
Why Raithaane conservation and Promotion?
- Conservation and sustainable management of genetic resources in order to conserve the Raithaane crops along with keeping the environment in balance.
- To help with the National campaign of self-sustaining food crops.
- Diversification of food crops and to increase the value of Raithaane products
- Contributing to food security and nutrition.
Name of Board of Directors
Mr.Tilak Bahadur Dhakal, Chairperson
Mr. Rai Bahadur Rai, Company secretary
Mr. Upendra Raj Kuikel, Board of Director
Mr. Shankar Prasad Gaudatm, Board of Director
Mr. Ram Kumar Bhusal, Board of Director
नमस्कार, जय रैथाने नेपालमा स्वदेशी रैथाने प्रजाती तथा बस्तुहरुको संरक्षण, प्रबर्धन, विस्तार तथा बजारिकरण गर्ने उदेश्य साथ रैथाने एग्री प्रडक्ट्स नेपालले विगत एक वर्ष देखी आफ्नो उदेश्यअनुरुप कार्य थालनी गर्दै आइरहेको कुरा अवगत गराउन चाहन्छौ । यस कम्पनिले "गाउको उत्पादन शहरमा, रैथाने खाना घर-घरमा" भन्ने मुल नाराका साथ उत्पादक किसान र उपभोक्ता बिच मध्यस्तकर्ता भूमिका खेल्दै आइरहेको छ । किसान र उपभोक्ताको हितवाट नै रैथानेको जित हुने गरी काम गरिराखेका छौ । उचित मुल्य, गुणस्तरिय वस्तु, प्रभावकारी सेवा कम्पनिको मुख्य मुल्य मान्यताहरु रहेकाछन। किसानहरुले उत्पादनको उचित मुल्य पाउने र उपभोक्ताहरुले सुद्ध तथा गुणस्तरिय वस्तु प्रयोग गर्न पाउने ब्यवस्थाको लागी हामी प्रयासरत छौ । हाम्रो बिउ हामिले नै जोगाउने, हाम्रो संस्कृती अनि हाम्रो मौलिक पन हामिले नै जोगाउने हो । हाम्रा रैथाने ज्ञान, सिप, वस्तु, बिउ जोगाउने अनि उत्पादन बढाउने प्रयास हो हाम्रो, यसवाट हाम्रो मौलिक पन जोगिन गै आत्मनिर्भर तथा स्वास्थ्य जिवन निर्माणमा मद्धत पुग्छ भन्ने आषा लियका छौ । जैविक विविधता संरक्षण, संस्कृती तथा मौलिकपन संरक्षण, अनि मानव स्वास्थ्य निर्माण गर्दै देशलाई आत्मनिर्भर बनाउने यस महान अभियानलाई साथ दिन हार्दिक अनुरोध छ ।
Raithaane, an initiative to promote farmers and agriculture:
Mr. Tilak Dhakal has a long experience in the field of conservation and community development. He had a long association with Nepal Program office of World Wildlife Fund (WWF), also known as World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Nepal Red Cross Society. He started his tenure in Northern Mountain Conservation Project (NMCP) in the Trans-Himalayan region of western Nepal. He served in the area during the time of insurgency in Nepal. He successfully implemented the joint project with the Government of Nepal in the area that is closer to Shey-Phoksumdo National Park of Nepal. He shifted to the projects in the lowland Terai of Nepal. He served as a manager of Corridors Bottleneck Restoration Project (CBRP) of WWF Nepal and Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation of the Government of Nepal. He managed the program for almost 20 years. The strategic document of TAL identified many corridors and bottlenecks to connect the habitat and wildlife among different protected areas in Nepal and India.
Mr. Tilak was stationed in Terai during the time of insurgency in Nepal in early 2004. He was steadfast in his work and thus, achieved the results as stipulated in the thematic areas of WWF Nepal namely, forests, species, freshwater, climate change, and sustainable livelihood. Khata wildlife corridor is one of the signature projects in the corridors of TAL Nepal. Khata wildlife corridor received different recognitions in and outside of Nepal. TAL program introduced sustainable livelihood and good governance projects in the local natural resource management organizations in TAL Nepal. Numerous transboundary collaborations were held with TAL India in the areas of species conservation and sharing of good practices.
Mr. Tilak implemented community-based homestay tourism in project areas of Nepal. This is implemented in biodiversity-rich areas where the visitors enjoy the local tradition and cuisine and watch the wildlife in the adjoining forest habitat. Currently, Mr. Tilak provides training and guidance to set up community-based homestay tourism in the rural areas of Nepal.
After almost 20 years of experience in biodiversity conservation and community development, Mr. Dhakal set up a team for Raithaane to conserve and promote the indigenous agriculture and indigenous knowledge and skill. Mr. Tilak Dhakal is a chairperson of the Raithaane Agri Products Nepal. The team explores and brings the indigenous agriculture products from Corridor, bottleneck, Bufferzone and remote area of Nepal and from marginalizes communities where some of the varieties are on the verge of extinction. The team brings the produce into Raithaane and supports the value chain of the different agricultural produce brought from different parts of Nepal.
Raithaane is a Nepali word for local or indigenous. Raithaane, as an initiative works towards conservation and promotion of agro biodiversity, indigenous knowledge and skill and food security in Nepal. The key roles of this initiative are:
- Raithaane aims to create self-employment in Nepal where almost one-third of the country’s GDP is contributed by remittance and migrant workers.
- Raithaane promotes disease-resistant crops that can absorb climate shocks and perturbations.
- Raithaane aims to expand to 77 districts reaching out to 20,000 farmers and selling 200 types of farmers' produce in the future.
- Raithane ensures that farmers receive the right price of their farm produce and at the same time, people on the other end of the value chain can eat nutritious food.
Currently, Raithaane has collaborated with 80 groups and cooperatives and is directly working with farmers to ensure farmers get the right value and price of their produce and labor. The farmers' produce is organic and has high nutrition value crops. Raithane has collected more than 150 variety of crop in 43 districts where 9,000 farmers are directly involved. Some of the notable examples are the promotion of honey production where bees use butter tree(Chiuri)and the production of proso millet (Junelo)Raithane has collected many rice varieties from Nepal such asKala namak, Jhinuwa masina, samundra fini,whereSamundra finivariety is only grown in Sikharabesi village of Nuwakot of Nepal. Raithane team explored Terai, mid-hills, and high mountains and spent the last three years learning about the local agriculture products.
Apart from the agricultural produce, Raithane sells handicraft and traditional tools and technologies that have been used in the household and farmland in parts of Nepal. Raithaane is supporting farmers' cooperatives and providing a free home delivery service. Raithaane provides a guarantee to purchase the produce of farmers and provides them training and orientation on issues related to agriculture. Due to the remittance economy in Nepal, people are migrating to cities and abroad for employment and thereby, leaving lands fallow in rural areas. It has been three years since Raithaane started as a private company in Nepal. Apart from commercializing the local produce and supporting them in their value chain, Raithane is promoting climate-smart agriculture practices and contributing to food security.
Namaste and greetings from Sabin !
Born as the youngest son in the Mahat family, I was brought up in an environment where my parents had a great love for the traditions. I was always taught to protect them and this feeling definitely guided my academics and profession. After finishing my school level from Shree Amar Jyoti Secondary School, Nuwakot, I went to study Intermediates from Tribhuvan University in Business Mathematics, Bachelor’s in Finance from Active Academy Collage, Tribhuvan University. To harmonize my education with the ground realities, I joined Qatar Aviation Service - Qatar, an international organization working in aviation service as a HRMS employee. That was a great opportunity to me as I got a chance to work with many prominent figures involved in aviation service.
As the time was very fulfilling I feel it’s better to use my fruitful time & experience in my homeland. So, I decided to return my homeland & joined Raithaane Agri Products Nepal as an Operations Manager from 2020-2021. Working at Raithaane polished my abilities in managing programs, communicating and handling variety of official matters and I accredit Raithaane for lot of good things I have learnt in my life.
I joined Raithaane Agri Products Nepal as an Operations Manager for the Raithaane Conservation in November 2020. After serving for a year, I finished my formal contract in November 2021, but continued to be a part of Raithaane’s work as a great opportunity to work for the cause of conservation came back to me as I was accepted for the position of Operation’s Director in November 2022. I am really happy and honored to be back to the organization I have always admired and aspire to work as a team to strengthen and vitalize our programs to achieve “To conserve and promote indigenous agriculture products and associated knowledge and skills, including marketing linkage”. Nepal is a home land of Raithaane crops, and needs to conserve and promote it. My experience of working with Raithaane Nepal has always been so successful and satisfying that I can confidently say that my tenure here will be very rewarding.
Sabin Mahat
Director - Operations
Contact Details Tel: 977-9841516825
Email: mahatsabin@gmail.com.
Namaste and greetings from Shashi !
Born in conservationist family as the elder son , I was brought up in an environment where my parents fondness for the culture & tradition. I was always taught to protect them & this feeling definitely guided my academics & profession. After finishing my schooling from SSEB High School , I went to study my Intermediates with Sociology & Anthropology major from SVG Collage, completed bachelor’s level study majoring in Administration form Public Administration Campus, CDPA, Tribhuvan University. To harmonize my education with ground realities, I joined Raithaane Agri Products Nepal as a apprentice, a company working in the conservation & promotion of Raithaane Products & associated Knowledge & skills, including their access to marketing. This was great opportunity for me as I got chance to work with many prominent figures involved in conservation. Working at Raithaane polished my abilities in managing programs, communicating & handling variety of official matters & accredit Raithaane for lot of good things I have learnt in my life.
My greatest achievement was when I joined Raithaane Agri Products Nepal as a Business Development Officer for the Raithaane Conservation & Promotion in September 2021. Having served for a month as a apprentice, I completed my formal contract in 15 August 2021, but continued to be part of Raithaane Preservation & Promotion Campaign work as a Business Development Officer for the Raithaane Agri Products Nepal form 16th August 2021. A great opportunity to work for the cause of conservation came back to me as I was accepted for the position of Development Officer in Raithaane Agri Prodcts Nepal. I am really happy & honored to be back to the organization I have always admired & aspire to work as a team to strengthen & vitalize our culture & tradition. My precious experience of working with Raithaane Agri Products Nepal has always been so successful & satisfying that I can confidently say that my tenure here will be very rewarding.
