Coffee saves crops in Sindhupalchowk
After years of crop losses due to rampaging monkeys, farmers in Sindhupalchowk have found an unlikely savior: coffee. Once hesitant to embrace alternative farming, many have now turned to coffee cultivation as both a practical solution to human-wildlife conflict and a long-term economic opportunity.
The district’s hilly terrain, ideal altitude, and frost-free conditions make it well-suited for coffee farming. “We were tired of watching our crops being destroyed,” said Mandu Thapa, President of the Sindhu Coffee Cooperative Association. “Now, coffee is not only saving our livelihoods—it’s putting Sindhupalchowk on the global coffee map.”
According to the Association, over 2,150 farmers in the district are cultivating coffee on more than 124 hectares of land. In the last fiscal year alone, Sindhupalchowk produced 31 metric tons of coffee worth Rs 13.2m. Of that, 10.3 metric tons were exported to countries including Japan, South Korea, Australia, and the US under the label ‘Himalayan Organic Coffee’.
To further boost production, Chautara Sangachokgadhi Municipality-10 was recently designated under the One Ward, One Production Area Program, which promotes targeted agricultural development. Funded jointly by Bagmati Province, the municipality, and local farmers, the program has led to the planting of 27,000 Arabica, Bourbon, and Katura coffee plants.
Support has also included the distribution of organic pesticides, drying tarpaulins, and the construction of irrigation ponds. “This year, we planted coffee on 400 ropanis, and we plan to reach 600 next year,” said Thapa. Coffee begins to yield after three years and can produce for up to 70 years with proper care. Shade trees such as orange, lemon, and avocado have also been planted to support the coffee plants and diversify farm income.
Bhupendra Thapa, a local farmer and entrepreneur, has planted 10,000 coffee trees across 46 ropanis of land. “We lost so much to monkeys. Now, I see this farm not just as a business, but as a movement to prove that agriculture can thrive here,” he said.
Thapa received 3,500 seedlings from the District Coffee Cooperative Association and sourced the rest privately. His goal is to generate over Rs 10m annually and inspire youth working abroad to return and invest in agriculture.
Deputy Mayor Sita Thapa praised the shift, calling coffee farming a sustainable and strategic transformation. “This isn’t just about avoiding monkey attacks. It’s about building a long-term economy for our farmers,” she said. “We will support them through production, processing, and marketing—there will be no market uncertainty.”
She also noted a growing interest in coffee among younger generations. “They see hope in the soil of their homeland,” she said. “That’s what we need—young people turning from foreign labor to farming that works.”
With rising international demand, strong government support, and committed local leadership, Sindhupalchowk’s coffee journey is just beginning—but already, it’s brewing real change.
