At just 16 years old, Pushparaj Bhandari left Nepal to work in Malaysia. For the next two decades, he toiled in foreign lands, chasing the dream of a better life. But in the end, it was back home—in the quiet village of H-Gaun under Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City-14—where he found his purpose.
Today, Bhandari is one of the leading banana farmers in the region.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, lockdowns forced him, like many others, to pause and reassess. “I had just returned from abroad and was spending time at home,” he recalls. “With the whole world in crisis, starting a new business seemed impossible. But I saw a few locals farming bananas and thought—why not me?”
That led to the formation of Bhandari Multipurpose Agro Farm, now operating for six years.
Bhandari has utilised his one bigha (about 0.67 hectares) land cultivating bananas that bring in around 1.5 million rupees annually with profits nearing one million rupees. He sells his produce in Dhangadhi and nearby local markets. And it’s not just about income—his entire family of five, including his wife, children, and mother, is sustained by this one venture.
While many in his community continue to head abroad for employment, Bhandari has taken the opposite route—planting roots and investing in the land that raised him.
“I’m trying to show people that if you know what you’re doing, you can make it work right here in the country,” he says. “Supporting my entire family from this one farm is proof. And the best part? I get to be at home, surrounded by family, friends, and the community.”
Bhandari is not alone. In Ward No. 14, around 10 farmers are now involved in banana cultivation. But he says more support is needed: timely access to fertilizers, seeds, and subsidies could go a long way in scaling up.
