Palpa, June 28 -- A remarkable story of transformation unfolds in the hills of Palpa, where rough, winding roads make even a short journey an ordeal. Tucked away in Nisdi Rural Municipality-5, the village of Galdha has become an unlikely player in the European spice and legume markets, thanks to the determined efforts of local women farmers and their cooperative.

Dilmaya Saru, the manager of the Galdha Social Entrepreneur Women's Cooperative, waits for November like a shopkeeper waits for the festive rush. That's when the ginger is ready to harvest, and she begins calling farmers for meetings. The prices are negotiated, changing year to year depending on the global market. What was once a limited, low-value trade with middlemen has now t...