Building a Healthier Future Through Organic Persistence
Prem Bahadur Lama, now 65, was once an economics student with no initial interest in agriculture. A life-altering illness at age 50 weakened his immune system, making it impossible to digest conventional food contaminated with pesticides and chemicals. Desperate for recovery, he began cultivating organic fruits and vegetables purely for personal consumption. Within a year of eating his own produce, his health dramatically improved.
Motivated to help others avoid similar suffering, Prem transformed this personal practice into a broader mission. In 2007, he officially established Ashapuri Organic as a private organization. Facing numerous obstacles—including labor shortages, rising costs after the earthquake, and initial skepticism—he persevered with patience and community involvement.
Today, Ashapuri operates five farms across Nepal, employing around 150 staff and collaborating with over 4,500 farmers. It grows a wide variety of organic fruits and vegetables, achieving full global organic certification in 2016—making it Nepal’s only 100% certified organic farm. Products are sold primarily to Nepalese customers (90%), many seeking relief from health issues, through outlets like the Farmer’s Market in Kathmandu.
Though not profit-driven, the farm sustains itself with investments around ten crores and focuses on public-private partnerships for expansion. Prem’s journey highlights the power of organic farming for personal healing, community support, and environmental protection.
Source: https://blincventures.com/ashapuri-organic-farm-the-only-100-certified-organic-farm-in-nepal/ and https://ashapuriorganic.com.np/about.html
