Farmers of Baling Chiwog in Langthil Gewog, Trongsa, are hopeful of better harvests following the construction of a new irrigation channel. The channel, which stretches more than ten kilometres, is expected to benefit more than 40 households and bring around 300 acres of farmland back into cultivation.
For years, farmers in the village depended heavily on rainfall to prepare their fields and transplant paddy. Delayed rainfall often meant late cultivation and poor harvests.
Sonam Choki of Baling said delayed cultivation affected crop yields. While the new channel could not benefit farmers this year, she expects water to reach their fields from the next transplantation season.
“When the cultivation is delayed, the harvest will be poor. And for this year, the channel could not benefit us. But from next transplantation season, we will have all the available water at the sources in our field,” she said.
Another farmer, Choni of Baling, said the lack of irrigation water had also caused cracks in the terraces during cultivation.
“Without enough water, even the terraces get cracked during cultivation. But we hope such problems will be eased from next year,” she said.
The new irrigation system is expected to provide more reliable water for cultivation and help bring fallow land back into use.
The Building Commercial Smallholder Agriculture Project invested Nu 5.5 M in the project. Construction of the irrigation canal began in March and was completed in about six months.
Thinley Dorji, Trongsa
Edited by Passang
