Farmers of Menchhuna in Dagana are hoping for a bountiful harvest this year. Unlike in the past, their farmlands are managed properly. Stone bunds or walls are laid in the fields as soil and water conservation measures.
Stones are plenty and farmers of Menchhuna village in Drukjeygang Gewog know how to make the best use of them.
Stone bunds help to control the flow of water and soil erosion since the farmlands are on a slope. It allows the rainwater to seep into the soil and spread more evenly over the land. This in turn helps retain the soil, rich in nutrients.
“Since our farmlands are on slopes, the heavy rainfall during summer often erode the topsoil and leaves back nothing in the fields. This affects our crop production severely. We have also grown mandarin trees on steep terrains and the construction of stone bunds will help keep manure intact during heavy rainfall,” said Tshering Tashi, a farmer.
“We could complete constructing stone bunds in sixty acres of lands in two months. The project is very beneficial, especially for women. We acquired a new skill to construct stone bunds which is very useful in farming,” said Tshering Pem, another farmer.
The project supported about 30 households. The United Nations Development Programme provided technical support financed by the Green Climate Fund.
“We have to maintain a distance of six metres between upper and lower lines of the stone bunds. Our farmers can grow cash crops along with other crops on the same terrace. Animal and fodders can be also grown along the stone bunds. In this way, we can grow varieties of crops in a small plot,” said Kinley Namgay, assistant district agriculture officer.
The district agriculture sector plans to carry out a similar project in Khebisa Gewog. Only about three per cent of the country’s total land is suitable for growing crops.
And with Bhutan already experiencing some impacts of climate change, this technique might go a long way in building agricultural resilience and benefit farmers.
Pema Tshewang, Dagana
