For generations, hundreds of acres of fertile paddy fields in Trongsa’s Uesa village have fed families across two districts. However, every harvest season, wildlife threatened months of hard work. Today, a newly completed chain-link fence is not just offering protection but also boosting farmers’ confidence to cultivate their land.
The land is cultivated not only by residents of Uesa and nearby villages in Dragteng Gewog, but also by landowners from Nubi Gewog and Bumthang. Yet, despite their importance, farmers have struggled to protect their crops from wildlife, especially wild boars.
To address the problem, more than 150 acres of farmland have now been enclosed with a 4.5-kilometre chain-link fence.
For farmers, protecting their harvest once meant spending nights in the fields or accepting crop losses.
“We used to hire labourers because we could not manage it ourselves. But most of our hard-earned crops were destroyed by wild animals at night. It was difficult for us to become self-sufficient in the past,” said Pema Gyeltshen, a landowner from Tashidingkha.
Farmers say the new fencing has brought them relief during the growing season. Instead of guarding crops every night, they can now focus on farming.
“We used to go before our neighbours slept to guard the crops. That was the hardship we faced when we were young. Later, even solar fencing helped us. But this chain-link fencing is far better than that. Now we only have to guard crops from monkeys,” said Kunzang Choden, a landowner from Uesa.
Taktse Tshogpa Rinzin said, “After the fields were enclosed with the chain-link fencing, all landowners were able to harvest their crops without major damage. Earlier, wild boars caused a lot of destruction, but that is no longer the case. Only minor damage from monkeys and birds remains.”
Many farmers now plan to grow wheat, buckwheat, vegetables and other crops after the paddy harvest instead of leaving their land idle during winter.
Dragteng Gup Dubala said, “If we do not support farmers when the government is providing support, young people will continue to leave the villages. That will eventually lead to more fallow land, even in areas that are currently being cultivated. That is why we decided to support this project, and the results are already positive.”
The fencing was recently handed over to the community.
While the government supplied the fencing materials, the landowners contributed labour to complete the project.
Farmers say they can now sleep peacefully at home, knowing they will wake up to fields of standing crops instead of the damage left behind by wild animals.
Thinley Dorji, Bumthang
