Farmers in Dagana started mass cultivation of vegetables in mega greenhouses. It is to boost domestic agricultural productions to meet local demands and enhance food self-sufficiency as part of the government’s National Economic Contingency Plan for Agriculture initiated to shield the country’s economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dagana is the first district to start cultivating vegetable in mass using relatively new farming technology. One of the mega greenhouses is constructed in lower Gangzur in Tsendagang Gewog. Spread across a 60-decimal-land, it can accommodate close to 7,000 chilli saplings.
“We will be growing vegetables like chillies, tomatoes and beans in the mega greenhouse. In winter, we will grow green chillies to help meet demand for green chillies in the market. And in summer we will grow tomatoes because tomatoes cannot be grown in open fields due to excessive rainfall,” said Bikash Tamang, the Tsendagang Gewog Agriculture Extension Officer.
Three more mega greenhouses are also being constructed, each in Tsangkha, Nichula and Karmaling Gewog of the district. In the first phase, the greenhouse is given to a farmer from each of the four gewogs. Farmers have to bear 20 per cent of the actual cost which will increase to 50 per cent from the next phase.
The gewog agriculture extension officer said farmers are sceptical that it might incur a loss to the government if the project fails. “It is very important for us to look for such farming technology to increase vegetable productions in the 21st century. Moreover, we have other plans like establishing hydroponic farming inside this greenhouse in the future so it will be very useful for our farmers.”
The construction of each mega greenhouse costs more than Nu 2 M. The government is financing its construction as part of the Economic Contingency Plan for Agriculture.
Pema Tshewang, Dagana
