Sanni Triveni Rural Municipality

Sanni Triveni Rural Municipality is a natural paradise located within the district of Kalikot*, Nepal. Sanni is 136.71 square kilometers or about 53 square miles; a home to around 13,500 locals. The rural municipality is divided into a total of nine wards, the headquarters of which is situated at Mehalmudi. With the eye-capturing and breathtaking view of green hills, Sanni Triveni has five neighbor municipalities as you can see on the map below.

*Highlighted on map

Our village is endowed with rich biodiversity, mesmerizing landscapes, and a unique culture with longstanding traditions. The area is rich in natural resources, but it lacks modern technology and infrastructural development. Animal husbandry, agriculture, and the forest play an important role in sustaining the community. The majority of locals are subsistence farmers, working to feed themselves and their family members. Climate change has made farming more difficult, and also resulted in frequent power and cellular outages. Locals walk long distances with heavy loads, and the roads are in such a dire state that health and transportation services often don’t reach the village. While there are nearby schools, the overall quality of education is low, largely due to a lack of resources in staffing, supplies, and grounds. Although Sanni Triveni is a rural municipality and locals here face increasing problems and difficulties; through systematic, sustainable development, the youth of Sanni Triveni can grow a stronger future.

Life in Sanni: Living day to day

In our village, locals sustain their families through farming. Historically, focused on terrace farming, the primary crops include rice, wheat, maize, millet, and barley. Each crop has a distinct season; for instance, wheat and barley are sown in October and harvested in April. Following the harvest of these grains, it's time for maize and rice (paddy) crops, continuing until the end of September.

Due to limited income and opportunities, our community relies on subsistence farming, yet this practice comes with its own set of challenges. The village grapples with insufficient rainfall, as well as, heavy snowfall during winter, compounded by a lack of irrigation. These factors hinder crop growth, occasionally leading to periods of hunger.

Animal dung serves as the primary fertilizer in our village. Domestic animals such as buffalo, cow, ox, sheep, and goat are raised through animal husbandry. Traditional agricultural practices involve plowing the land with the help of oxen. Despite facing challenges, the community strives to sustain itself, emphasizing a crucial role of agriculture in their daily lives.

Despite the challenges, the community strives to sustain itself through traditional farming practices, emphasizing the significance of agriculture in their daily lives.