About 25 families in Nyingshingborang village under Norbugang Gewog in Pema Gatshel have been able to increase their agricultural yield this year. This has been achieved after the district agriculture sector initiated a land development programme a few months ago.
The families restarted farming activities on more than 30 acres of land two years ago. Before that, the farms were deserted for more than two decades since farmers focused on citrus farming on a commercial scale.
Through the programme, their agriculture fields are being redeveloped by widening the terraces and improving the soil quality.
According to the farmers, such farming interventions are helping them to boost their yield and augment their incomes.
“The excavator has widened the terraces. The soil has been refined without rocks and stones. So, maize production has doubled from the previous year. I could harvest 30 to 40 baskets of maize this time. Last year, I harvested only about eight to nine baskets of maize.” said one of the farmers in Nyingshingborang village, Sonam Phuntsho.
His farming mates also shared similar viewpoints.
“After the land was redeveloped, we cultivated maize and the harvest was better than in the past. In a year or so, we will grow paddy and sell the surplus,” added another farmer in Nyingshingborang village, Kezang Tashi.
The land development programme is in its last leg with farms of only two households left to be revitalised.
Farmers will also work to distribute irrigation water pipes. If that proves successful, instead of maize, they will grow paddy twice a year from next year.
“We will aim for rice sufficiency since most of us spent our little savings on buying imported rice,” said a Nyingshingborang farmer named Dorji
Looking at the progress, farming works might escalate in the coming years, improving the economic conditions of the farmers.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel
Edited by Pema Lhaden
