Nepalese Chyangra farmers trained to add value to pashmina fibres

The over one week-long training also capacitated 35 trainers including farmers from Mustang and Manang, and business support organizations from Kathmandu, to become trainers themselves, thus multiplying their knowledge to more farming communities. Among them were lead farmers from Mustang and Manang, the Mustang Chyangra Farmers’ Association, the Nepal Pashmina Industry Association (NPIA), the Nepal Agricultural Research Centre and district level personnel.

Ganesh Prasad Pandeya, Secretary at the Ministry of Industry Commerce and Supplies in Nepal, said: “I feel this will greatly benefit farmers and the country’s sector in the days to come. We all have gathered here to support you and listen to your challenges. The Government of Nepal recognizes Nepal’s pashmina industry’s importance and strength. To this end, the government has been providing its support through its policies, strategy and programmes for the sector’s value-chain development.”

The training, organized under the Trade and Investment Programme (TIP) financed by the European Union (EU) and implemented with technical support from the International Trade Centre (ITC), focused on combing methods, as well as sorting and grading the pashmina fibre. It took place in the rural municipalities of Lo-Manthang, Lo-Ghekar Damodarkunda, Baragung Muktichhetra and Gharapjhong.

Sabyr Toigonbaey, a leading expert from Kyrgyzstan’s mountain region, trained the designated trainers, while capacitated farmers from Mustang carried out the second training themselves.

Matthias Knappe, Programme Manager and Head of Fibres of Textiles and Clothing at the International Trade Centre, added during the training’s launch: “Our project has established strong partnerships with key stakeholders along the pashmina value chain. This collaborative approach is crucial to developing a strong Nepali pashmina supply chain. ITC is providing training to farmers on appropriate fibre harvesting, sorting, grading, and storage methods to help farmers produce a product of high quality that subsequently can be transformed domestically by the partners involved.”

Karan Tangbe, president of the Mustang Chyangra Farmers’ Association, confirme the training’s success: “Before the training, farmers did not know the importance of combing their goats’ fibres and were also used to sell their fibres to Tibet. Now they are aware of the national market interest and the benefits for the animal and final product of fibre combing.”

“Every farmer is welcome to come to our collection centre and sell their fibre to the Nepal Pashmina Industry Association,” said Vijoy Dugar, president of the Nepal Pashmina Industry Association. “Regardless of the amount, we will pay a competitive price. According to the quality, the higher the price will be. Together, we can boost the Nepali pashmina sector.”

About the project

For the pashmina component of the EU-Nepal TIP project, the International Trade Centre partnered with several institutions, including the Nepal Pashmina Industry Association, the Nepal Pashmina Fibre Processing Company, and the Mustang Chyangra Farmers’ Association, in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry Commerce and Supplies. The EU-Nepal Trade and Investment Project will run until 2023.

The EU-Nepal Trade and Investment Programme stands for inclusive growth through regional integration, trade intelligence and participation in global value chains. The project aims at enhancing the capacities of the country’s Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies and the Trade and Export Promotion Centre to formulate trade policies, negotiate trade agreements and implement them effectively. The project helps the sustainable and inclusive development of Nepal’s coffee and pashmina value chains, focusing on export development.