Nepalese agriculture system is mostly characterized by low level of investment and income with subsistence economy. Lands are increasingly fallowed and youth are out migrating from rural villages to Middle East and are earning less than US$ 200 a month. However, there is a small but growing number of progressive youths and professionals have come up with agri-entrepreneurship as their profession.
Nepalese agriculture system is mostly characterized by low level of investment and income with subsistence economy. Lands are increasingly fallowed and youth are out migrating from rural villages to Middle East and are earning less than US$ 200 a month. However, there is a small but growing number of progressive youths and professionals have come up with agri-entrepreneurship as their profession.
With advent of new information, communication tools and technologies along with connection to the wider communities, the stereotype in agriculture is changing and new and innovative generations are interested in it, but their experience remains undocumented. These stories of learning, comprise both failure and success and involve process and methods for their outcome.
Those can be inspiring stories for other fellow farmers and help them to solve their problem and adding on new innovation and bringing expertise in them. For this, it is crucial to develop proper environment of experience sharing. Hence a storytelling contest that can encourage youth participants to learn about agriculture related know-how technology to reduce risks and make them more comfortable to adopt new innovations and approaches in it seems like a necessity.
Considering small yet crucial intervention, YPARD Nepal call for applications from all interested Nepalese young agricultural entrepreneurs (aged 18 to 39) to participate in the ‘Storytelling Contest for Young Agri Entrepreneurs’, a national level competition which aims to bring in the entrepreneurs with the most innovative and motivating stories of youth enterprises with the best social potential and impact.
The themes on which we’re looking for agri-entrepreneurs’ stories are
- Motivating: The motivation of the entrepreneur to come up with their enterprise, and are expected to encourage other youths in starting phase.
- Innovative: The use of innovative and technological approaches in the agri-business system and their impacts on success of enterprise.
- Social Impact: The exemplary role played by the entrepreneur/enterprise to bring positive social perception and agricultural development.
Who can APPLY?
- Only Nepalese young agri-entrepreneurs (18-39 years).
- Representative of the enterprise, if entrepreneur is not available.
- Representatives from organizations which have done remarkable work on youth agri-entrepreneurship.
Our priority is for those agri-entrepreneurs, who are at the beginning stage, and who are running their enterprise for not more than 5 years from the date of submission.
Individual farmers (family farming) and farmers’ groups in the community, as well as women and people from disadvantaged groups are highly encouraged to apply.
Those who are 40+ years as well as who are running large scale agri-enterprises can also submit stories in non-competition category. We are proving space as “showcase presentation” in grand finale. Please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Key Dates
- Call for application: 20th October 2016
- Application deadline: 30th November 2016
- Public Voting: 1st December to 10th December 2016
- Finalist selected and notified: 15th December 2016
- Grand Finale: 30th December 2016 at Agriculture and Forestry University, Chitwan, Nepal.
How to APPLY?
All interested young agri-entrepreneurs can submit via online or send email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. including the story (written in either English or Nepali language) about their enterprise (up to 500 words) and one to three images of enterprise.
Selection
All the submissions will be validated through selection committee which consists of 3 jury members and then qualified submissions will undergo for public voting. The first round evaluation will be based on Jury selection (75%) and most popular public votes (25%). Each category with 4 finalists, in total 12 finalists will be selected.
Those finalists will be invited for onsite grand finale on 30th December 2016 at Agriculture and Forestry University, Chitwan. All travel expenses (including food and accommodation) of finalists will be covered by the organizer.
Competition Prize
The storytelling presentation will be in Pecha-Kucha format, with guidance of YPARD Nepal members. The Jury members will select one winner (recognition as- Storytelling Champion) from each category based on the story presentation, and will be awarded with NRs. 20,000 for each winner.
Watch our TEASER here https://youtu.be/2bA4t8ICLhY.
Our official hashtag – #KisanKoKatha, helping to amplify the dissemination through social media. For additional information about the contest, please contact Anil Bastola, Coordinator at +977-9846850199/ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..