Lalit Narayan Jha, a resident of Mithila Bihari Municipality, Ward No. 10, Thera, in Dhanusha District of Madhesh Province, has emerged as a successful dragon fruit farmer. Coming from a traditional farming family, Lalit always believed in the potential of his land and the value of hard work.

In 2012, Lalit and his spouse started farming by establishing ‘Laxmi Bahuudysasya Matsya Tatha Pasupanchi Palan Firm’, initially focusing on livestock and poultry, including goats, fish, cows, ducks, and hens. Despite sincere efforts, their early ventures yielded limited success due to their reliance on traditional approaches, which led to low productivity, high labor costs, and low income. Refusing to give up, Lalit explored new opportunities and noticed the growing demand for exotic fruits. This led him to experiment with dragon fruit cultivation on a small scale, which eventually proved successful.

Terai Agribusiness Enterprise Challenge Fund (TAECF) is funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and implemented by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). The TAECF aims to support micro and small agribusinesses with grants and technical assistance to expand their products or services.

In 2022, Lalit received an Incubation Phase Grant under the KOICA–GGGI Terai Agribusiness and Enterprise Challenge Fund (TAECF) Program, followed by an Accelerator Phase Grant in recognition of his outstanding performance during the incubation phase. With this support, he transformed his entire farm into a dragon fruit enterprise.

One of the major components of the Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) Project is the provision of grant support to viable Agri-based businesses and enterprises that adopt climate-smart technologies to enhance productivity and profitability. Under this initiative, the project publicly announced an Expression of Interest (EOI) for eligible target groups to apply for the grant. Mr. Lalit learned about the opportunity in detail during an information session organized at the municipal level, and the CSA project team supported him in developing and submitting a competitive grant proposal.

During KOICA mission visit, along with GGGI Nepal to Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) project sites across Dhanusha and Mahottari to observe progress and interact with beneficiaries. ©GGGI Nepal

Adopting Climate-Smart Practices

With the grant support, Lalit introduced several climate-smart practices learned through the TAECF Program on his 1.01-hectare farm. This included drip irrigation, which enhanced water-use efficiency and addressed initial irrigation challenges; women-friendly tools, such as weeders and mini-tillers, to facilitate intercultural operations; plastic mulch to conserve soil moisture and reduce production costs; and the use of organic manure, including vermicompost and farmyard manure, to promote sustainable farming practices.

Traditionally used tools and machinery required high labor input and involved significant drudgery, particularly for women, who were more engaged in activities such as weeding, harvesting, and manuring. The introduction of improved, women-friendly tools and machinery significantly reduced their workload, minimized drudgery, and increased overall farm efficiency.

“These practices not only reduced our costs but also made farming more sustainable and women-friendly,” Lalit explained. “Drip irrigation, in particular, has made our farm more resilient and efficient.”

Dragon Fruit as a Cash Crop

Today, dragon fruit is the main cash crop for Lalit’s farm. To maximize land use and income, he also intercrops elephant foot yams, generating additional revenue.

In 2024, Lalit harvested approximately 40 quintals of dragon fruit, supplying Bhat Bhateni Shopping Mall, Nepal’s largest supermarket chain, as well as local retailers at wholesale rates of of NPR 350–400 (USD 2.4 – USD 2.7)  per kilogram. This resulted in a turnover of NPR 1.5 million (USD 10,375 ) and a profit of around NPR 1 million (USD 6,916), even after covering land lease and operational expenses. Encouraged by this success, Lalit expanded his cultivation area, increasing production to 55 quintals, with a turnover of NPR 2 million (USD 13,832) and a profit of about NPR 1.5 million (USD 10,375 ). Revenue was further strengthened through the sale of elephant foot yams and seasonal vegetables.

“Dragon fruit has given a new identity to my land and my family. It has become a source of hope not just for us but also for the people working with us,” Lalit said.

Dragon fruits in Lalit Narayan Jha’s farm. ©GGGI Nepal

Dragon fruits harvested from Lalit Narayan Jha’s farm. ©GGGI Nepal

Empowering the Community

Despite its success, the farm faces ongoing challenges, including ant infestation, fruit cracking, and inadequate post-harvest storage. Lalit remains committed to overcoming these issues and unlocking the farm’s full potential in the coming years.

Beyond his own farm, Lalit actively supports other local farmers by sharing his experience. With the funds he received under the grant, he hired experts to train local farmers. “Our goal is not only to grow dragon fruit for ourselves but also to inspire and equip other farmers so that together we can transform agriculture in our community,” he added.

The farm has become a significant source of local employment, currently engaging seven workers (three women and four men) and up to fifteen seasonal laborers during peak harvest periods. Lalit expressed his gratitude to the KOICA–GGGI Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) Project, stating, “The grant and training helped me find a reliable market for my dragon fruit and sustain the business by adopting climate-smart technologies and practices.”

Lalit’s story demonstrates how vision, innovation, and targeted support can transform challenges into sustainable livelihood opportunities. His efforts have drawn increasing attention from government agencies in Madhesh Province and development partners, particularly for their potential to address gaps in climate-resilient agricultural practices, access to finance, and the use of local resources and appropriate technologies to increase productivity, while also improving farmers’ access to quality inputs and markets.