Young generation shuns yak raising

By Our Correspondent,Sindhupalchowk, Sept. 2: Yak raising is in crisis in Sindhupalchowk district. Due to the lack of grazing land and the lack of interest in the new generation, the profession is in crisis.

There is a practice of rearing yak in Tembathan, Dipu, Tega of Jugal Rural Municipality-3, Sherbheg Dharpakhani, Baluwa, Samsherdanda of Barhabise Municipality-3, Nekherka Chhyadi of Healmbu Rural Municipality and mountain area of Panchpokhari Thangpal Rural Municipality.

All over the district, 31 farmers are in yak rearing business. In recent times, yak rearing occupation is in crisis due to the lack of interest of the young generation in this business. 

Norsang Sherpa, a farmer of Jugal Rural Municipality-3, Tembathan, said that young generation is not interested to engage in this profession as there is no money when needed, no pasture land and even the basic needs are not met by this profession.

Not only is the yak rearing profession not preferred by the young generation, but old and experienced yak rearing farmers too have left the occupation and are displaced. Chakra Rumba, 55, who used to rear yaks in Barhabise Municipality-3, Sheerveg, left dozens of yaks and moved to the capital.

Rumba said that he left the profession because he had to stay in the mountains for nine months a year, suffered from various diseases and epidemics, and suffered losses due to the lack of insurance for yaks.

It is found that younger generations who were born and raised in yak shed helped their parents in yak rearing, but after gaining age they go abroad for work. The young generation, who have basic literacy, left their ancestral occupations and went to the Gulf countries for employment. 

Due to various reasons such as having to face great difficulty in living in the mountains, milk, cheese, butter and ghee produced in pasture area cannot be transported to the market in the absence of road access, the young generation has gone to foreign jobs instead of taking up yak rearing. 

Now people between 55 and 80 years old are involved in yak rearing in pasture area. Gradually, they have also started to leave the work of yak rearing.

Rumba said that if the local and federal governments can make provisions for medicine and insurance for yak, concessions in purchase of yak, and easy marketing of milk products, the young generation can be involved in the profession. 

A few years ago, Helambu Rural Municipality and Jugal Rural Municipality arranged insurance for yak to protect yak rearing in the district.