Tamankhola Rural Municipality Develops Apple Orchards on Public Land to Promote Agriculture and Tourism

Tamankhola Rural Municipality in Baglung has utilized public land to expand apple cultivation by investing NPR 4 million over 24 ropani of land. The municipality has planted 1,400 apple saplings imported from Mustang in publicly owned lands of Goradi and Bayali in Ward No. 4. As the apple harvest begins to yield returns, the orchard will be handed over to local communities with plans to integrate agriculture with tourism. (12 Jestha, Balkot, Baglung)

The rural municipality is linking the use of public land with income generation by expanding apple orchards. The land has been protected with fencing and equipped with drip irrigation technology to cultivate the 1,400 apple saplings. Chairman Jok Lal Budha of Tamankhola Rural Municipality informed that the apple orchard expansion took place by clearing bushes on public lands at Goradi and Bayali in Ward No. 4. “The municipality has expanded the orchard under the protection of the ward office, and the 1,400 saplings have been growing for the past year,” Chairman Budha said.

“The apple trees, sourced from Mustang and expected to bear fruit in four to five years, were planted a year ago. We are preparing plans and procedural guidelines for sharing the orchard’s yield,” he added. To ensure returns on the investment, the ward office is actively working on protecting and expanding the apple orchard. Chairperson Chha Prasad Shrepali of Tamankhola Ward No. 4 stated that by planting saplings and properly utilizing public land that was previously misused, the municipality is advancing agriculture linked with tourism.

“The municipality has drafted a production policy. If production is neglected, public land will go to waste. With that in mind, we have established apple orchards complete with fencing and irrigation on public lands that were previously unproductive,” Shrepali explained.

“We plan to promote both agriculture and tourism by cultivating apples over 24 ropani, and there is also a proposal to build a resort in the central area of the Bayali orchard.” The orchard development involved expenditure of NPR 700,000 at Goradi and NPR 3.3 million at Bayali, including fencing and irrigation systems. Protective fencing around public lands is expected to increase security and reduce damage to the produce. The saplings planted include Gala and Golden apple varieties imported from Mustang, selected based on feasibility studies, as informed by agricultural technician Bidhan Bagale of the municipality. Bagale noted that apples are likely to thrive well in the cold climate between 2,300 meters above sea level.

If apple production proves successful, the municipality also plans additional investments targeting tourism infrastructure such as lodging and resorts.