Agriculture moved on

3 July 2009

Over the past one year, according to what it called the “Triple Gem” approach to agriculture development, the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has come a long way in enhancing production, access and market thereby increasing food production and income generating products.

The Renewable Natural Resources sector is trying to minimise the marketing cost by connecting the communities to main roads and by promoting cash generating activities.

A memorandum of understanding has been signed with Mountain Hazelnut Venture Ltd. of USA for cultivation and production of hazelnuts on degraded lands to benefit the farmers and generate substantial foreign exchange revenue for the country.

Phase I of the project for improvement of rural agricultural roads mandated the ministry to construct 235 km of farm road and power tiller tracks in the six eastern dzongkhags within three years.

In the second phase, the MoA will receive US $ five million. Under the project on strengthening farm mechanisation, 285 agricultural machinery enterprises have been promoted. Today, there are more than 6000 enterprises including farm machinery support centres.

Another 200 million yens will be received as a non-project grant aid from Japan for procurement of agricultural machinery, especially for boosting rice cultivation by offsetting labour constraints and improving milled rice quality. An estimated 120 power tillers will be received in the coming year under the Grant Assistance for Underprivileged Farmers (KR-II 2008).

The livestock department has installed a dairy sales counter-cum-yoghurt plant in Thimphu and a Milk Processing Unit (MPU) in Sengor, Mongar, along with four other new MPUs. A state-of-the-art national poultry breeding centre has been set up in Sarpang along with 140 backyard piggeries, 90 backyard and 45 semi-commercial poultry farms.

So far, 17.5 km of power tiller tracks and 292 km of farm roads have been constructed with the pilot programmes carried out in six dzongkhags for outsourcing professional services. The farm machinery distribution and sales policy has also been revised to improve agricultural products and address labour shortages.

It has been decided that organic farming will be encouraged in order for Bhutan to have a niche in the international market.

An e-platform has been created to serve as a one-stop shop for communities to avail faster services with regard to availing permits for forest products.

BY ESHORI GURUNG

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