Hundred and forty sets of power tillers will be distributed to the farmers next month, mostly for hiring purpose, under the current phase of the KR2 grant.
The current phase will focus on hiring out of farm machinery. The hiring service is to be expanded to all the Dzongkhags. At present, it is available in only 41 Gewogs.
Many farmers are not able to buy power tillers, but it was found the farmers can afford to hire.
The hiring services currently in place benefits about 2,500 households. It has also provided employment to over 458 people and generated more than Nu.16 million in revenue in a year.
Started in 1984, the KR2 grant assistance is one of the longest grants to Bhutan from Japan. It comes under the food security project for underprivileged farmers.
Bhutan has so far received about 2,795 power tillers under the KR2 grant.
