Santo's Challenge to Change the Lives of 5,000 Nepalese Farmers

In Nepal, over 60% of the population depends on agriculture, yet many farmers still live in poverty. According to The Rising Nepal (2025), smallholder farmers are often forced to sell their produce to local traders at unfairly low prices due to poor infrastructure and limited market access, leaving them economically vulnerable.

Santosh Dahal comes from Okhaldhunga, a remote district in Nepal with an agrarian background. Before leaving the country, he studied Nepal’s agricultural landscape and business conditions. In pursuit of better opportunities, he decided to come to Korea, hoping to support his family and gain experience he could one day apply back home.

After arriving in Korea, Santosh worked directly with agri-based businesses, and what he saw was eye-opening. He experienced a rural environment that was clean, structured, and where agriculture was not only efficient but deeply respected by society.

He observed the use of advanced farming machinery, organized local distribution centers in every village, and strong government support for agricultural workers. These systems stood in contrast to what he had grown up with in rural Nepal.

This became a turning point for Santosh. His journey was no longer just about earning money; it became a mission. He returned to Nepal not simply as a worker, but with a new goal: to build a system where Nepali farmers could also work with pride and be treated with fairness.

When Santosh returned to his village, the challenges remained clear: farmers still lacked proper markets, forcing them to sell their harvests at unfairly low prices to local buyers.

According to Nepal’s Agricultural Development Strategy, a significant portion of farmers, about 60% in 2023/24, are unable to sustain a livelihood from agriculture alone due to inadequate infrastructure and weak market access (Nepalese Agricultural Development Strategy Joint Sector Review).

As a result, each year, more farmers are leaving rural areas, weakening local economies and disrupting community stability. Confronted with this unchanging reality, Santosh was determined to take action. He founded Rasilo Agriculture Nepal with a simple mission: to restore value and dignity to the lives of Nepali farmers.

Rasilo Agriculture Nepal is more than just a food processing company. To date, it has partnered with over 5,000 farmers across 50 districts in Nepal. Each year, it directly sources more than 1,200 metric tons of produce, processes and packages it, and distributes it to domestic and international markets. As a result, some farmers have seen their income increase by two to three times.

But the impact doesn’t stop at income. Rasilo employs 55 full-time staff and 100 seasonal workers, including returnee migrants, women acquiring new skills, and rural youth. This company is not just a business; it is a community model for a society that respects agriculture.

Santosh and his team restructured the traditional supply chain, where most profits used to go to local buyers. Instead, Rasilo processes, packages, and sells products directly, ensuring farmers receive a fair share.

Thanks to this innovative model, farmers earn more, and high-quality Nepali products are reaching global markets. Santosh continues this work with a strong sense of mission: to protect and uplift the dignity and value of farmers.

Every farmer who earns a fair wage is a step toward a stronger community.

Now, Santosh urgently needs a new warehouse and food processing equipment to connect with even more farmers. That’s why Rasilo is launching this crowdfunding campaign through The Bridge International. Your donation will help fund a roasting machine, a grading machine, and the construction and leasing of a warehouse.

Be part of this impact. Your impact donation can help build the future for more farmers, one harvest at a time.