Bhutanese village moving towards becoming fully organic

In 2018, the Department of Agriculture identified the village as a Model Organic Village to improve the livelihood of people through crop diversification and income generation, reports The Bhutan Live.

For decades, farmers of Gungring village have been practising farming only for self-consumption. It was only in 2018 after the department of agriculture’s intervention that the farmers ventured into commercial organic farming. The farmers were provided training, greenhouses and an irrigation channel, the news portal reported.

A farmer’s group, which is comprised of 45 members, have around 50 acres of agricultural land under cultivation.

These farmers cultivated cabbage, cauliflower, potato, eggplant, carrots, beans and various kinds of fruits.

“We had limited knowledge about farming techniques and had no surplus agricultural produce. But after the training by the agriculture officials, we started vegetable farming not only for our self-consumption but also were able to supply schools in our locality and the Gelephu market. We are now committed to not only supplying within the locality of our gewogs but across the districts and the country,” Goru Sanu Rai, a farmer in the village, told the news portal.

“After forming the group and started working together, we were able to supply to schools, staff, Jigmeling Police Training Center in Gelephu during the summer season. Further, we are also able to supply to the district and the Thromde,” Bal Kumar Rai, another farmer, told The Bhutan Live.