Almost half of the agricultural land in Pema Gatshel remains fallow. This means there are nearly 9,000 acres of fallow land in the district. According to the RNR census report 2019, people were compelled to abandon their farmland following human-wildlife conflict among other reasons. However, to combat such challenges, the government said it will provide wire mesh fencing to the farmers soon.
Most of the people in Pema Gatshel depend on agricultural farming. However, farmers lost their crops to the wild animals after much of their hard work every year.
“We work hard to harvest the crop but, in the end, we lose the crop to the wild animals,” said Sherab, the Chongmashing-Dagor’s Tshogpa in Shumar Gewog.
“Most of our children study and don’t show interest in agriculture. It is because of the human-wildlife conflict,” said Chojay, the Gonpung-Shali’s Tshogpa.
However, the Labour Minister during a recent visit to Pema Gatshel said the government will provide wire mesh fences and other equipment on a cost-sharing basis to address the issue.
“The chain link fencing was installed in Trongsa and heard that it is benefiting the farmers. And if it is on cost-sharing, people will take responsibility and will take care of the materials,” said Labour Minister Karma Dorji.
And the initiative has excited the farmers in Shumar Gewog.
“We are happy as we will get the wire mesh fencing and other equipment to protect the crops from wild animals,” said Chojay.
They added that some people might even return to the villages to revive their fallow land.
According to the RNR census of Bhutan 2019, Pema Gatshel and Trashigang have the highest fallow dryland in the country.
From about 190 thousand acres of land in the country, over 66,000 acres of land remained fallow.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel
Edited by Tshering Zam
