Around the time the pandemic hit the country last year, three youths from Tongling of Radhi Gewog in Trashigang ventured into commercial farming. While most businesses struggled during the pandemic, their farm flourished. The group, Nazhoen Sonam Detshen, cultivated vegetables on four acres of land leased from a private individual for a period of ten years.
Today, the group is picking hot round chillies, popularly known as ‘Dale’. They have finished harvesting most of the vegetables which earned them about Nu 250,000 within a year.
They are now planting potatoes as a winter vegetable.
“So far we have been growing green chilli and three varieties of cabbage. We also grow other vegetables. We sell all our products to nearby shops and schools,” said Tenzin Norbu, a member of the group.
“We will continue with the vegetable farming even after the lease period expires. We will get another land,” added Phurpa Tshering, also a member.
They pay Nu 12,000 a year to the landowner for the land.
The gewog extension office is helping the group to construct a reliable water supply. They plan to complete the work within a month or two. They share irrigation water from Shongphu at present.
The Commercial Agriculture and Resilient Livelihoods Enhancement Programme (CARLEP) supported the group by providing greenhouses, chain-link fencing, solar fencing and land development on a cost-sharing basis.
Sonam Darjay, Trashigang
Edited by Sonam
