Surkhet, Sept. 22 -- It has been two decades since Netra Bahadur Giri from Barekot Rural Municipality in Jajarkot began travelling to the high-altitude pastures of Dolpa to collect yarsagumba, a prized medicinal fungus. In the third week of May this year, he travelled for four days with his wife Goma and their two sons to Kagmara pasture to collect the fungus.

The Giri family spent Rs60,000 on supplies and equipment for the trip but earned only Rs120,000.

"Given the hardship of travelling to and from the pastures, a family of four should earn at least Rs300,000," he said. "But this is work we have done for years. We cross cliffs and rugged terrain to reach remote grazing areas. Altitude sickness can be life-threatening, but with no othe...