One Month of Journey as Daayitwa Public Policy Fellow

Manish Jung Pulami,12th August,2020,

"I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing."

-Plato (Republic)

A Master's degree in International Relations and Diplomacy (IRD), and a nominee for Nepal Education Award, I have thought I have already known half of the things and rest will be a process of life. But thinking that you're too smart is the only thing standing on your way. I have always thought myself a learner, but one month of the journey as a fellow in Daayitwa, I have learned that there are several things that I have to learn was nowhere to come in my life until I became Daayitwa Fellow.

Firstly, about the research, I knew Nepal is an agricultural country and have a great prospect in agricultural production. But as an enterprise value chain fellow, studying the role of a middle person in the enterprise value chain of agricultural products, I have come to encounter that it is not only about agriculture productivity. Till now I have had studied the supply and demand of the agricultural products focusing on milk, banana, fish and goat, also the supply chain of those products, which have given me an insight that increasing the production capacity and consumerism is not the way forward, as the problem lies in the middle of the chain. It has not been about the facts and policies, but I have found that there's more than we see, hear, and realize. Hence, I am determined for evidence-based policy research in this sector and aimed to be a spark in the change for the betterment for all.

Moreover, (Nepal Leadership Academy) NLA's session on LEADERSHIP has given me the energy to reinvent myself change a roadmap for the future. I feel like I have a lot of work to do like I have to persistently reengineer myself. I feel like the modules have elevated and expanded me in different dimensions. My thoughts have brought me to this position, and I believe that the teachings that I have been taking from the team will take me further. So I have hoped one month of the journey with NLA's insights will be of tremendous help in the fellowship journey and the future as well.

While studying IRD, I have mostly focused on the macro-policies, to be precise about the international policies, but being a value chain fellow researching the agricultural sector has allowed me to have a deep inward look at the policies rather than have an outward look towards them. One month of study and learnings have given me more energy that I could be a part of the change, and most importantly a bridge between youth and government. 

I have a strong feeling that it is not going to be an easy task, but I am determined and this journey for shared progress is going to be worth it.

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