A local unit in Parbat district is planning to introduce a scheme to encourage youths to take up livestock farming.

Bihadi Rural Municipality has decided to provide Rs 20,000 grant to local youths to buy lactating buffalo or cow. The local body said it has already prepared guidelines to implement the decision from the current fiscal year.

“We have come up with the scheme to encourage the local youths to take up animal husbandry and to stop labour migration,” said Kamal Prasad Bhusal, the chairman of the rural municipality.

According to Bhusal, interested youths could apply for the grant at the municipal office.

The provincial government of Gandaki has put Bihadi on its list of proposed agricultural and industrial villages. To this end, the local municipal government has announced various infrastructure development projects to promote and manage local agro products and their market.

The animal husbandry scheme will ultimately support the provincial government’s project.

“Transportation of produced goods is a major challenge here. Various roads linking Bihadi are being upgraded now. The farmers can easily transport their products to Pokhara and Butwal,” said Bhusal.

He added that the municipal government was also working to set up a milk collection centre in each ward.

The municipal office has for now allocated Rs 800,000 to start the animal husbandry scheme. Rishiram Panthi, the chief administrative officer, said that the budget could be increased if necessary.

“We will manage vehicle transportation if milk production is increased. It depends on the mass participation of the farmers,” said Panthi.

The municipal office has also been assisting local farmers in making plastic tunnels for vegetable farming, building animal sheds and buying modern farm tools.

The rural municipality has allocated more than Rs 10 million to help local farmers, according to Panthi.

Bihadi is around 40 km south from Kushma, the district headquarters of Parbat.

It is favoured by both topography and climate, making it an ideal place for farming and animal husbandry.