I am Rudra Bahadur Godar living in Putalibajar Municipality ward # 4 Syangja district, a western mid hill region of Nepal. I belong to a mid level farm family and was involved in conventional farming with my 2 hectare of land and a couple of animals.

Seven years ago, CARE Nepal started Upper Aandhikhola watershed Management project covering upper Andhikhola watershed area of Aandhikhola River. Project staff used to come to me for my involvement and participation in the process of improving our catchment area. I participated rarely because I did not like project staff asking for our own unskilled labor contribution as free labor.

My neighboring villagers formed a conservation farmers’ group and decided to work as project staff said. I opposed many times and stopped to attend the meeting because no one agreed on my opinion.

As project started in our area in phase II, it’s been only 2 years since the project started.

Even in 2 years of project intervention, I found a lot of things changed in our village. Many farmers have planted fodder trees in their private land. Barren Community land has been planted with fodder and other trees. People in our village stopped free grazing practices of animals in community land and promoted stall-feeding practice instead. Many have established Kitchen gardens in their homestead and some have even earned money selling surplus vegetables after household use. Number of improved livestock increased.

Last year heavy rainfall occurred in the month of 29th of August and we faced incredible situation of flood in our own house at about 11 PM. It was on the bank of Badkhola stream. My son and daughter were in another village that day. My wife, one daughter and myself were there in the house. It was raining continuously and water level was increasing. At the same time thunder and lightening was rotationally coming. I took my wife and daughter out side the house when flood level rose to the level of roof. My house and cowshed flooded one by one sweeping my all properties including animals in front of me. I was struggling for life with my wife and daughter. When I was about to loose the patience to keep holding the hands of my wife and daughter, two men came and caught us. I don’t know how they reached us. They took us on the bank of flood stream and provided first aid help. They were CARE staff reached to save us with the help of nylon rope and head light flash of CARE vehicle.