SYANGJA, Oct 19 - Farmers here in Mayatari VDC of Syangja have grown a curious interest. After a long day's labor, many farmers here spend time at the village Community Information Center surfing the information superhighway.

Jagat Bahadur KC, one among such farmers who has become fond of information technology lately, quips, "Though I am a farmer by occupation, how can I stay detached from information technology in this age?"

"We learn about each and every thing going on in our district by coming to the Center," another farmer Ganga Bahadur Gurung says, "All the more, the internet even provides information about the whole world." Gurung says that he travels for an hour everyday from his village Pelkachaur VDC to learn computer in Mapatari VDC.

These zealous farmers got the chance to be acquainted with computers only after Nepal Rural Information and Technology Society brought two computers to Mapatari for the purpose. Members of the society bought the pair of computers with the sum collected from Deusi and Bhailo during Tihar festival.

The center is also a sharing ground for local farmers. It provides space for sticking personalized notices so that farmers here won't have to worry about buying or selling their cattle, or even searching for farmhands. According to chairman of the society Sudip Aryal, the society has extended such community clubs also to Bagalthok, Karendada, Rangkhola, Bayaraghari, Bayatari villages of Syangja and Kaskikot, Dhital and Dang villages of Kaski district.

Although the center also serves as a library where farmers can flip through newspapers, the center charges a nominal Rs 10 per hour to everyone interested in using the internet. Following the club's popularity, it has been receiving pressure from farmers in other neighboring villages, requesting extension of such services to their own villages.

Source: Kathmandu post (National Daily of Nepal)
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