With a facility to cover 956 acres of paddy fields and one of the longest in Samtse, a new irrigation channel in Yoeseltse Gewog was inaugurated, recently. The irrigation channel, built with the financial support from the Government of India, will benefit 360 farmers, who are mainly into subsistence farming.
The information and communications minister, D.N.Dhungyel and Consul General, Pieyush Gupta, representing the Government of India, inaugurated the new irrigation channel. The 7.2 kilometer Khuchidiana Irrigation Channel is Samtse’s biggest agricultural project, completed at a cost of Nu 63.2 M.
The new channel is expected to increase production of seasonal crops and ultimately uplift the livelihoods of farmers under Yoeseltse gewog and a few chiwogs under Sang-Ngag-Chhoeling Gewog. The irrigation channel will also encourage farmers to practice double cropping especially rice, mustard, wheat, and vegetables.
“Life was miserable when we were not able to feed your families due to lack of irrigation channel in our village. With the help of the government, I have a hope that our lives will improve and we could start growing crops and vegetables,” said a farmer, Prem Kumar Subba.
Like Prem, other farmers said the old channel was not much of help and expect the new one to fulfil their farming endeavours.
“The old irrigation canal that we had did not serve the purpose. We had to depend on seasonal rain and when there was less rainfall, we had to find other means to irrigate our fields. The new channel will definitely help us,” said another farmer, Jamtsho.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forests said the irrigation project will reduce the practice of leaving lands fallow mainly due to lack of irrigation water.
By acreage, Samtse has the highest rice production capacity in the country. Today, the district produces around 8200 metric ton of rice in a year and Yoeseltse Gewog is the highest producer, among the 15 gewogs.
