So, what is our project about?

• The aim of our project today is to establish apple orchards in a remote region of the Himalayan mountains, specifically at 3600 meters above sea level in Nepal, at the base of the world’s third-highest peak: Mt. Kanchenjunga.

Concept

To establish a fenced orchard with apple trees, chickens, and bees. 

Apple trees yield fruit, chickens provide eggs and enrich the soil with their droppings, and bees ensure pollination and produce honey. While chickens are not indispensable, as their droppings can be substituted with manure, and bees may not be essential if adequate natural pollinators are present, it is the synergy among these components that ensures the uniqueness and balance of the concept.

The orchard will be fenced to prevent chickens from escaping and protect them and the trees from predators. All products from the orchard are well-known and valued in Nepal. They are easy to store and can be sold or bartered for other goods if necessary.

Why there?

• This region is the birthplace of my husband, Norbu Sherpa, and together we are the co-founders of the Butterfly Help Project.
• The area is challenging to access and lacks road infrastructure.
• It receives less tourism compared to other parts of Nepal.
• It is home to climbing sherpas who have limited income during the off-seasons of mountain expeditions.

How will it be implemented?

• We have already commenced planting our first trees in 2020 and have been monitoring their growth. We harvested our first apples this year.
• Next an additional 80 trees, bees, and chickens were brought, accompanied by specialists from Switzerland.
• Bees facilitate pollination, while chickens aid in fertilization.
• The project’s structure will be established through the formation of a cooperative in accordance with Nepali regulations.
• The objective is to construct a cooperative building for storing apples and processing apple-based products.
• Construction materials, whenever possible, will be sourced locally and transported by porters, as the village is accessible only by foot.
• The local climbing sherpa community will spearhead the project’s development under the guidance of The Butterfly Help Project. Through the cooperative, they will create a new source of income and impart knowledge to the younger generation.
• The cooperative building will serve as the project’s headquarters.

Conclusion

We must not overlook that the Himalayas, with their towering peaks, serve as the global barometer for climate change.

Our project aims to promote biodiversity in this critical region by establishing infrastructure using locally adapted materials.

Simultaneously, it provides employment opportunities for climbing sherpas during the off-seasons, when mountain expeditions are not feasible due to extreme altitudes, thus ensuring their livelihoods.