In what may come as an enterprising venture, farmers of Dewathang Gewog in Samdrup Jongkhar started selling manure to supplement their income. Although it is not usual for farmers to rear cattle for manure besides dairy products, collecting cow dung to manufacture manure for commercial purposes is not a widespread practice.
Besides selling milk every day, Chimi spends most of the days preparing manure using cow dung.
Chimi says in the past, they accumulate cow dung to be used as manure only in their respective fields. But today, it has become an alternative source of income.
Chimi Dorji collects and accumulates cow dung in one place and mixes the dung with leaves. Then he adds cattle urine to the mixture and leaves it to dry. And after two to three weeks, the manure is ready for sale.
Chimi earns up to Nu 30,000 every year from selling manure. He has been doing this for the last three years.
“It is not cow dung, it is now money. And it is better to earn some cash rather than dumping it away. We have not sold it in the past. As we keep cattle outside in the open, we didn’t collect cow dung. Now people are buying it. I got training on making manure too,” said Chimi Dorji, a resident.
Like ChimiDorji, 15 other farmers in Dewathang Gewog make and sell manure. Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative has trained about 500 villagers in the district to make improvise farmyard manure to enhance their livelihoods, improve food security and promote organic farming.
Today 30 of them are doing it on a commercial scale. A farmer charges Nu 2 to Nu 10 per kilogram of manure.
“Earlier, we didn’t collect cow dung. We threw away the leftover after using them in our fields. Now, Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative has trained us to make manure which is profitable for us. When we need cash, we can sell manure to get money,” said Zangpo, a resident.
“I haven’t been able to work dedicatedly in making manure since I don’t have many people in my family. So, I could sell only about 800 sacks of manure and earn about Nu 40,000,” said Sangay Dorji, a resident.
Apart from helping farmers make income, this type of improvised farmyard manure has helped people to grow organic vegetables.
The farmers sell the manure to the residents of Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde who use it in their kitchens and flower gardens.
With the help of the Bhutan Foundation, Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative supported villagers with construction materials for compost sheds and plastic bags for packaging. Besides, Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative helps them in marketing the manure.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
Edited by Phub Gyem
