By Chitra Mijar, Sindhupalchowk, Nov. 12: Youths at Shikharpur, Melamchi Municipality-10, either returnees from foreign employment or getting ready to fly foreign land for job, have started a collective buffalo husbandry in Rs. 30 million investment and are making half a million rupees as profit a month.

The seven youths have registered a firm, Indrawati Husbandry and Agriculture Firm, and began buffalo farming.

They have 60 buffaloes of advanced breed, which they brought from different places of Terai making it sure that the buffaloes can adapt to the new climatic zone of the hills.

Of the total, 47 are mother buffaloes, which produce 400 liters of milk day.

"Our buffalo faming has paid us off. Now, we earn a net profit of half a million rupees a month. We will not go abroad to shed our sweat for money as we can do that here in our homeland," said Sahadev Nepal, one of the youths in the collective buffalo farming.

Usha Parajuli, another member of the Indrawati Husbandry and Agriculture Firm, shared her happiness that their social standing had also increased with the success in buffalo farming. "It is always appropriate to do something at your home village."

The youths have leased over a hundred ropani of land for their business and they have given employment to other 10 people.

To utilise manure from the husbandry, they have started organic vegetable farming. Melamchi bazar and Kathmandu are the markets for their products.

The youths have also run a cooling center for the milk. They have now started selling buffalo calves recently. Their firm, which has emerged as a model firm in the district, has become a learning center for many aspiring buffalo farmers in the district.

The youths have complained that the municipality has not provided any assistance to them, not even technical assistance although it has slogan of encouraging agriculture sector.

However, Agriculture Knowledge Center, Dhulikherl, has provided Rs. 1.5 million as grant to the firm.