Virendra Bahadur Basnet, associated with the airline business and the management director of Buddha Air, has set the goal of making the country self-reliant in rice production. During his tenure as the former Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki moon had emphasized shifting the focus from eating rice to other food items at the World Food Summit. With a significant decline in rice and cereal production worldwide he had made this appeal to consumers.
Food security worries have increased as a result of recent supply chain disruptions caused by political and economic issues.
In this context Nepal has also faced a ban on rice export from India ahead of the upcoming elections.
In the last fiscal year alone. Nepal imported rice worth NPR 36.66 billion. It has become crucial for Nepal to move away from subsistence agriculture and to ward commercial farming in order to handle the possible hazards and threats posed by the global food crisis.
Virendra Bahadur Basnet’s successful venture into agriculture with the introduction of an advanced rice mill at Chumchaur in Morang, through Buddha Air has focused on promoting self reliance in rice production. With Basnet’s active involvement in the leading private aviation company he has motivated farmers towards commercializing their farming practices and has introduced plans to collaborate with 20,000 farmers not just supporting them financially but also providing them with a stable market to sell their produce at fair prices.
By encouraging Nepali consumers to buy domestic rice and supporting farmers with a remunerative minimum support price Basnet believes that this model can be successful and eventually expand throughout the country, contributing to improved food security. His belief in making Nepal self-reliant in food by promoting consumer preferences for domestically produced quality rice in different countries has garnered trust and support to address the growing food crisis.
Basnet’s family has a long-standing connection with agriculture with a farming background spanning over 35-36 years. Even before starting Buddha Air agriculture was their primary occupation. He also highlighted the problem of inadequate water supply affecting rice production. He used the Indian government’s prohibition on rice exports as an example of the world food crisis.
The decision by India to impose a ban on rice export has not created any pressure to generate artificial demand for rice. Basnet believes that despite such decisions, the price of rice purchased from farmers remains unaffected. This way, both farmers and consumers benefit from the arrangement.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development until 6th of Saun 2080 the country has achieved 68% self sufficiency in rice production compared to 88% in the previous year. To achieve food security amidst the global food crisis. Basnet has implemented modern rice mills in large scale investments to purchase rice directly from farmers.
Despite the challenges posed by market management in large-scale investment and the uncertainties in weather patterns, he is confident that the recent rice mill will lead to positive results in promoting self-reliance in rice production in Nepal. The emphasis on self-sufficiency in rice is essential for the country to deal with the food crisis effectively.
Empowering Nepal’s Food Security: Virendra Bahadur Basnet’s Revolutionary Rice Self-Reliance Vision
Virendra Bahadur Basnet’s successful venture into agriculture with the introduction of an advanced rice mill at Chumchaur in Morang, through Buddha Air has focused on promoting self reliance in rice production. With Basnet’s active involvement in the leading private aviation company he has motivated farmers towards commercializing their farming practices and has introduced plans to collaborate with 20,000 farmers not just supporting them financially but also providing them with a stable market to sell their produce at fair prices.
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