Sharing Seeds
Sarangkot – Tallathar village, Nepal
Impact
Sharing Seeds, a non-profit organization, supports local farmers in producing Organic Arabica Coffee and engages them in Beekeeping. Community tourism profoundly impacts local community members by creating opportunities for economic growth and empowerment. To amplify Sharing Seeds’ impact, Planeterra supported them in developing a meaningful community experience that enables participation from community members, including women and youth, in village tourism. Women are stepping into leadership roles, managing and leading experiences, and handling finances. Additionally, both women and men collaborate closely to ensure travellers have an exceptional time in their village, fostering a newfound sense of self-confidence within them.
Critical Need
In every Nepali village, numerous youths have migrated, primarily to the Middle East and various parts of the world, in search of a better quality of life and income opportunities. Unfortunately, many of these youths are compelled to undertake extremely difficult and risky jobs for meagre salaries of just a few hundred dollars per month, and tragically, some even lose their lives while working in harsh conditions abroad. Sharing Seeds is gradually encouraging these local youths and rural women to participate in sustainable cash crop farming and other income-generating activities within their villages, utilizing modern agricultural practices to maximize land utilization.
Another challenge faced by the community was the lack of tourism revenue, despite being close to a popular tourist destination. By creating a world-class experience that provides an authentic local feel, they are generating more income opportunities for the community.
Our Involvement
Planeterra provided Sharing Seeds with a grant to help the community prepare to welcome travellers successfully. With this funding, they improved their infrastructure, received hospitality training, and developed a meal experience led by local women. By integrating this experience into the itinerary of one of our travel partners, Sharing Seeds will attract a steady flow of travellers. This initiative offers everyone an opportunity to immerse themselves in the local culture through a meal experience led by community women.
