The dry weather over the last few weeks across some parts of the country is taking a toll on farmers. It has become a disappointment, especially for the paddy growers. Lack of rainwater for several weeks has led to a reduced flow of water in the irrigation canal. In Korphu Gewog of Trongsa, paddy transplantation got delayed by almost a month now as farmers wait for rainwater.
In Korphu, some ten households are yet to start paddy cultivation on about 30 acres of land. They have been attempting to prepare the fields for transplantation for nearly a month.
Usually, paddy cultivation in the gewog would be complete within the first week of July.
“The weather has been way too sunny and dry this season. Otherwise, all households of Korphu and Nabji villages would have completed paddy cultivation within a week. We have to divide the water from a single source into four canals which is not enough,” said Nimala, a farmer from Nabji village in Korphu Gewog.
But not this time because it takes almost a day to flood a field. The amount of water running in the canal is just about the size of the amount that runs in a tap.
And the farmers have to take turns to get that water. So, they start puddling the soil even before the field is flooded.
“We have to transplant paddy whether it rain or shine. We have to complete it when it is our turn to irrigate the fields. Or else we have to wait for days for the next turn,” said Dechen Choden, a paddy grower from Korphu village.
Paddy growers normally irrigate and overflow the fields with water a day before ploughing and allow the water to soak in.
It is mostly the households owning land in the lower parts of the valley that are challenged with the water shortage issue. They depend on the stream water whose level, in turn, depends on the abundance of rainwater.
“The water is not even enough to dampen the roots of paddy seedlings to uproot for transplantation. The saplings that we have planted are also dying as the fields have dried and developed cracks due to lack of water,” said Yangzom, a paddy grower of Nabji in Korphu Gewog.
“We irrigate the fields by evening when our turn comes. But the fields would become dry by morning,” added Kelzang Wangchuk, another farmer.
“We have to hire labourers to transplant paddy. But it is a waste of wage when we have to wait for the water to fill the field to start plantation,” said Phurpala, another farmer.
The little amount of water running through the canal seeps before reaching the fields. They are now requesting the gewog to construct a concrete drain to prevent the water loss due to seepage.
“Without a drain, water seeps into the canal and a very minimal can reach the field. So, we would be grateful if we can have a concrete drain,” said Chhimi Wangmo, a farmer from Korphu village in Korphu Gewog.
“The solution could be constructing a reservoir at the source,” added Kinley Tenzin, Tshogpa of Korphu Toed chiwog.
Some are worried that the yield might decrease this season.
Besides cardamom, rice is the main cash crop for the farmers of Korphu Gewog.
More than 150 households of the gewog grow paddy on nearly 300 acres of land. And the gewog harvest about 370 metric tons of rice every year.
If not addressed at the earliest, water shortage could become a threat to sustainable rice production in the gewog.
Passang, Trongsa
Edited by Phub Gyem
