Support from the government to mechanise farming is encouraging more and more farmers in Chhuzanggang Gewog under Sarpang Dzongkhag to take up farming. This will go a long way in helping government achieve its target of self sufficiency in rice.
Farmers working hard
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Prior to 2010, farming in Chhuzanggang was done mostly manually. Many left the land fallow due to lack of water and farm labour. But this is changing now, with the government supporting the farmers in farm mechanisation.
“People now work hard and produce more. They want to grow enough rice for self sustenance and they want to sell the surplus to the rice mill. Compared to the past people have now started working more on paddy cultivation as we no more see any fallow land like before,” says Lemo, a farmer in Chhuzanggang.
Another farmer, Kota, also said unlike before, the scenario has now changed a lot. Locals don’t have to buy rice any more; rather they produce enough for self-consumption and also surplus to sell.
Almost all the people of 650 households in the gewog have planted paddy in about 2000 acres of land.
Prior to that only about 20 percent of the land was used for paddy cultivation.
Now, farmers have started growing paddy even on dry land. Moreover, farmers now have easy access to water supply.
Farm mechanisation
According to Chhuzanggang gup, Sangay Tshering, the farm mechanisation has brought in more blessing than anticipated.
“With farm mechanisation, loan for paddy plantation and proper irrigation facility from the government, paddy plantation has increased.”
In the meantime, the farmers are hopeful that they will be able to realize the government’s vision of self-sufficiency in rice.
With most of the farmers in the gewog producing enough for their consumption, they are now working towards producing surplus to sell.
Every household has planted paddy on a minimum of 50 decimal land and a maximum of over 4 acres of land.
