If what the agriculture ministry presented at the Mid-Term Review today is anything to go by, Bhutan does not have the capacity to achieve the set target of 60 per cent rice self-sufficiency in the current Five Year Plan. Accordingly, the ministry proposed to reduce the target to 43 per cent. But the members for the Mid-Term review did not endorse the proposal.
As of December last year, the country achieved only some 34 per cent rice self-sufficiency. Currently, it is one of the Key Performance Indicators of the Plan at risk.
According to the ministry, over the years, there has been a decrease in the area of land used for rice cultivation. Its findings show that more wetlands are left fallow in Punakha and Wangdue Phodrang due to a shortage of irrigation water. And in between 2017 and 2019, the country’s total land under cultivation decreased by almost 21,000 acres.
“We will not be satisfied with the achievement if we readjust the target. For now, we will not discuss anything on the rice self-sufficiency submission made,” said Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering.
The president of the Centre for Bhutan and Gross National Happiness (GNH) Studies, Dasho Karma Ura, added there isn’t enough credible evidence right now to reduce the target.
“The basis is not credible just now. If the secretary could show the credible, the most realistic numbers on which it was built, it will be a more probabilistic decision-making offer,” Dasho said.
“If the ministry could focus on a holistic strategy to find out why increasing uncultivated land is coming up. It is high time the ministry come up with a policy to protect these rice lands,” Sangay Duba, the Cabinet Secretary.
The Prime Minister directed the Cabinet Secretariat to form a team to conduct a thorough study into the matter. He also asked the Secretariat to come up with the study’s findings within two months.
Besides, the review meeting did not approve the ministry’s proposal to increase the overall budget for the 12th Plan. The ministry proposed to increase the budget from Nu 3bn to Nu 6.5bn.
Phub Gyem
