Farmers of Sergithang Toed Chiwog in Tsirang will no longer have to worry about irrigation water from next year. This is because Sergithang Gewog and Tsirang district administrations have constructed a reliable irrigation water supply for the chiwog. The chiwog started facing irrigation water shortage after a flash flood washed away the previous irrigation water channel.
The new irrigation water scheme was handed over to the beneficiaries recently after the contractor completed the project four months ahead of the contract deadline which is in October this year.
The irrigation water is supplied from the previous water source, which is located over three kilometres from the chiwog.
It will help in irrigating 160 acres of wetland and dry land belonging to 34 households.
However, the farmers were not able to carry out paddy transplantation work this year due to the construction work.
“We have been cultivating paddy with the old irrigation water. But only one-third of the irrigation water supply had proper pipes and the remaining were supplied through the open channel. As a result, 100 per cent of the irrigation water could not reach our paddy fields,” said Tshering Dukpa, a farmer.
“This year, farmers could not transplant paddy because the construction works were underway. We had informed farmers accordingly not to carry out paddy cultivation works for this year,” said Phurba, Sergithang Toed Tshogpa.
“We grow both vegetables and paddy. However, in the absence of adequate irrigation water, the crops cannot grow well. The new irrigation water will benefit us,” said Krishna Lal Sanyasi, who is also a farmer.
The previous irrigation water channel was washed away by a flash flood last year. The Green Climate Fund then financed the new irrigation water project which is worth over Nu 11 M.
“In the past, farmers had to even risk their lives crossing cliffs to repair the old irrigation water. So, we felt that reliable irrigation water is important for farmers in the chiwog. Moreover, a flashflood triggered by heavy rainfall has washed away both irrigation and drinking water supplies of the chiwog beyond the capacity of the farmers to maintain it,” said Phub Dorji, Sergithang Gup.
“Neycheychu is one of the listed irrigation for renovation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. Keeping that in mind, during the project design in 2015-2016, the Department of Agriculture in consultation with the Gewog and Dzongkhag has identified Neycheychu as one of the irrigation schemes to be financed under the project support,“ said Sherub Gyeltshen, Project Manager.
This is the third irrigation water scheme in the district that was funded by the Green Climate Fund.
Pema Tshewang,Tsirang
Edited by Tshering Zam
