Production of nutritious barley disappearing

By Sher Bahadur Sarki, Bajura, April 4: The agricultural produce barley crop is gradually disappearing in most of the local levels of the Bajura district. Barley was previously used in making grains of cows and buffalos, but, now the new generation has stopped rearing cows and buffalos resulting in a gradual decrease in barley cultivation.

Saying that she cultivates a small amount of barley, barely enough for her milking cows and buffaloes, Jaya Rawal, from Budhigana Municipality-11, Bajura, said, “There is less cultivation of barley, as the rearing of cows and buffaloes have significantly decreased.” Feeding grinded barley gives nutrition to milking cows and buffaloes. 

Buddhe Rawat, a resident of Khaptad Chhededaha Rural Municipality-4, Bajura, said that earlier there used to be a food crisis in the month of March as there was not enough rice in the village. Locals used to rely on Satu, locally produced products of Barley, curd, and milk. 

He said that even though barley is rich in nutrients, locals are not aware of its benefits due to which barley cultivation is gradually disappearing. 

Barley grows in all nine local levels, Budhiganga, Triveni, Khaptad Chhededaha, Badimalika, Gaumul, Swamikartik Khapar, Jagannath, Budhinanda, and Himali, of Bajura district. 

Barley is very beneficial for people suffering from rheumatism, diabetes, high blood pressure, skin problem, anemia, constipation, and heart disease, however, locals have stopped planting barley replacing it with the cultivation of wheat. 

Medical health workers said that barley is nutritious for children’s health. Giving Satu, locally produced food after roasting barley, and then grinding it, to children is of great benefit. 

According to the Agriculture Knowledge Center, Bajura, barley is produced in 1,565 hectares of land in the Bajura district. 

Min Prasad Jaishi, Spokesperson for the Agriculture Knowledge Center, Bajura, said that farmers are motivated to produce barley as land in Bajura is good for its production.