The utilisation of mechanised farm tools such as power tillers in Sagteng Gewog in Trashigang has reduced drudgery of farming. However, that is not only the benefit that farmers are reaping from the tillers.
Apart from tilling farms, villagers also use power tillers to ferry construction materials and firewood. They said the mechanised farm tool is efficient in transportation purposes. Otherwise they have to depend on yaks and horses for transportation which are time consuming.
A farmer Thukten Norbu said the capacity of a power tiller to transport things is equivalent to the carrying strength of 15-16 people.
“I have been operating power tiller for about three years now and have earned some income by hiring it to other villagers,” said another villager, Sangay Tenzin.
Although Sagteng Gewog is located two hours walk from the nearest road point, the gewog managed to bring in eight power tillers. Of that only one has been provided the government. The rest are all bought by farmers themselves.
“It was extremely difficult to transport timber from the location where they have been cut. So villagers bought tillers and it is immensely benefiting them,” said the Gup of Sagteng Gewog, Sangay Dorji.
Realising the multi benefits of power tillers, villagers requested for an additional power tiller to government when the Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay recently visited the gewog. The other reason is villagers discovered that government owned tillers are relatively cheaper to hire than the private ones.
