Women in Pema Gatshel’s remote Dagor chiwog have found their source of empowerment in dairy farming. The establishment of a dairy group last year has provided an alternative source of income for them, bringing new hope and means to run their households.
A quiet transformation is taking place in Shumar Gewog’s Dagor chiwog. Better-yielding jersey cows are replacing locally bred cattle.
Until joining the dairy group in Tshatsi chiwog, villagers in Dagor chiwog had been raising native cattle breeds to meet household dairy consumption and for manure.
Now, with improved breeds of cattle, they produce milk for sale, transforming the lives of women in the chiwog, for good.
They do not have to depend totally on their husbands’ earnings to run the household.
“Now, it’s much better compared to the past. What our husbands earn is mostly spent on household expenses and children’s needs. Now, we can complement through the income we get from milk. We can buy essential items ourselves. Some women even earn up to Nu 14,000 a month, depending on milk production,” said Yangdon, a dairy farmer in Dagor.
“We can really feel the difference now. We earn a steady amount every month and are more comfortable. We can also provide better feed for our cattle. I’m even planning to buy better breeds,” said Rinchen Dema, another dairy farmer in the chiwog.
As the village is located in a remote area, they do not have a market even if they process milk into dairy products. So, they supply their milk to the dairy group.
Today, most households in Dagor Chiwog own up to three jersey cows, each producing between five and 15 liters of milk daily, and contributing more than 60 litres to the group, collectively in a day.
Phuntsho, a resident of the chiwog, says the dairy group is benefiting them as they cannot depend much on agricultural works. “Before, we earned only a little from daily wage work or by selling maize. We cannot earn from agricultural works as our village is very remote.”
With over 20 members, the group helps women earn between Nu 5,000 and Nu 15,000 every month, empowering them financially and transforming livelihoods in this remote corner of Pema Gatshel.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel
Edited by Phub Gyem
