As paddy will soon be ready for harvest, farmers in Zangthi Chiwog of Samdrup Jongkhar’s Lauri Gewog are welcoming a new farm road that has cut down the backbreaking task of carrying harvests on foot. With fields located far from the villages, farmers had long struggled to transport their crops.
Farmers cultivate paddy here at Zangthi Chhuzhing, which is an hour’s walk from the settlement.
There are over 40 acres of pady fields, of which 30 acres are currently cultivated.
But with the farm road now reaching right up to their fields, the burden of transporting paddy has been eased.
Tenzin, a villager said, “Earlier, during cultivation, we had to walk long distances, and after the harvest, carrying the paddy on our backs was very difficult. Now, with the new road, we no longer have to carry the paddy on foot, we can bring vehicles right up to the fields.”
Ugyen Namgay, Zangthi Tshogpa said, “Now, with the road, we can bring a power tiller right to the fields and use it during cultivation. We are also hopeful that the fallow land will be revived.”
Pema Lhendrup, another villager said, “We will start harvesting paddy from October, and with the road now connected, we will be able to bring paddy and straw directly here without carrying them on our backs. We are grateful to the government for this support.”
Likewise, Cheten Zangmo said, “Earlier, we had to carry the paddy, but this year, with the road now connected, we can transport it using vehicles.”
The Lauri Gewog Administration built the road, which is more than one-kilometre long, spending Nu 1.7 M.
For the farmers, that investment means easier harvests and renewed hope for expanding cultivation in the future.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
Edited by Tshering Zam
