For poor villagers in Bhutan, the only discernible route to success is migrating to urban areas where there are better employment opportunities and civic amenities.
But surprisingly, the situation is otherwise for 37-year-old Thinley Wangchuk and his family.
Thinley gave up on his grocery business and returned to his village under Karmaling Gewog in Dagana along with his wife and two children in 2016.
The couple started doing agricultural works and morphed their one and a half acre fallow land into a green vegetable garden.
Today they don’t regret about their decision.
“I don’t regret about my decision. Working in farms gives me more satisfaction. I have planted around 1,000 areca nut plants. This would take another 6-7 years to fruit and make income. So to sustain ourselves we have focused on vegetable farming. It is lucrative farming business,” says Thinley.
He also says he no longer have to worry about paying house rents or utility bills. His wife, Migma Zangmo Sherpa shares similar views.
“I have used my inherited land to generate income. Back in Thimphu, I used to earn 20,000-30,000 income. But major chunk of it goes for rents and utility bills. It better here in village. It’s peaceful and distance to my kids’ school is not far.”
Also, the agriculture extension office in the gewog is making their farming life much easier.
The office provides them with seeds, seedlings, irrigation mulching film and other agricultural guidance.
Like this family, three other families have recently returned to their villages for good.
