New Initiative to Promote Entrepreneurial Environment in Parbat: Local Product Promotion Campaign and E-Magazine Launched

26 July 2025, Frontline Nepal Information Center, Parbat — Entrepreneurs, business leaders, and civil society representatives have underscored the vital need for a united and organized effort to promote and market indigenous local products in Parbat district.

During the high-level interaction program titled “The State of Entrepreneurship in Parbat and the Role of Youth in Promoting Local Enterprises”, participants raised urgent concerns regarding recent administrative changes. Attention was drawn to the fact that government offices previously dedicated to cottage and small industries are facing budget diversions to unrelated sectors. Furthermore, local municipal governments, constrained by competing priorities, have struggled to give adequate attention to small village enterprises, necessitating organized grassroots leadership from the non-profit sector.

Speaking as the Chief Guest, former Member of Parliament and pioneering Ashoka Fellow (2005) Rishikesh Tiwari stated that although Parbat possesses vast natural and human potential for enterprise development, it remains largely unharnessed. He emphasized that instead of merely lamenting policy gaps, stakeholders must take proactive practical steps that demonstrate tangible economic results on the ground.

Thakur B. Paudel, President of the Parbat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, recalled the chamber’s milestone achievement in constructing a mechanical bridge to spur regional tourism, announcing that the Chamber is now working closely with stakeholders to launch “Kosheli Ghar” — a centralized showroom to market authentic Parbat goods.

Subash Pant, Campus Chief of Kushma Multiple Campus, highlighted that entrepreneurship education is being integrated into modern academic syllabi and must be tied directly to real-world incubation activities among students.

Shiv Sharma Paudel, Secretary of the Federation of Cottage and Small Industries (Gandaki Province), emphasized focusing on crops with strong value addition such as Lapsi, Ginger, and Turmeric. Krishna Prasad Sharma, President of the NGO Federation of Nepal (Parbat), urged municipalities to view NGOs as strategic implementing allies.

Presenting a detailed diagnostic of the district’s enterprise environment, Shiv Prasad Sharma, Executive Director of Frontline Nepal, detailed the foundation’s roadmap to create rural marketing clusters and technical incubation desks.

The landmark program was chaired by Frontline Nepal Acting President Manju Kumari Sharma and conducted by Secretary Sanju Kumari Sharma. A signature campaign was formally launched pledging multi-stakeholder solidarity to consume and patronize Nepali products, followed by the official release of the “Udhyamsil Parbat” e-magazine, now hosted at frontlinenepal.org.np.