April 16, 2026 JUMLA – An increasing number of farmers in Jumla are turning to fish farming to achieve self-reliance, particularly focusing on rainbow trout suited to the district’s cold climate. Devendra Raj Giri of ward 9 and Delhi Bahadur Rawal of ward 6 in Chandannath Municipality have been farming trout for six years. They first brought 15,000 fingerlings from Nuwakot in 2020, but failed to sustain them due to a lack of technical knowledge. Rawal said transporting each fingerling cost Rs19 at the time. After gaining experience, they now stock ponds annually. Giri said the initial years were experimental, but they have recently begun selling fish and aim to produce their own fingerlings. So far, they have stocked over 90,000 fingerlings but say returns remain limited as the venture is still in a testing phase. Rainbow trout sells for around Rs1,800 per kg in the market, though they sell at Rs1,300. One large pond has five canals, each producing up to 150 kg of fish. Giri said ...