The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Soe villagers participate in climate change study
Officials from World Wildlife Fund (WWF) from Thimphu have conducted a climate change study in this remote dzongkhag with villagers participating in a survey on the changing climate patterns in the community.
The study compared the range of rainfall and snowfall over the years and how the community coped with it.
“WWF would propose to the government about the future plans to be taken,” Gup Kencho Dorji said.
The 28 households in the gewog depend on agricultural and livestock rearing. The crops are consumed here while dairy products are sold.
(Thrinley Wangmo)
To be ahead in the game, gewog plans winter crops
The farmers in Chhaling gewog under Mongar have initiated planting crops in winter to meet the government’s vision of self reliance in food crops. The farmers would grow maize and rice twice a year and also winter vegetables like cabbages and radish to supply nearby markets and institutions.
Gup Tandin Tshewang said the farmers in Chhaling gewog have the opportunity to mint money during winter when the production of vegetables drop across the country.
He also said that the 286 households of Chhaling gewog has the potential to grow vegetables, fruits and cereals during winter.
(Tanden Zangmo)
Balam Villagers await amenities
While the gewog is busy with on-going developmental activities such as construction of irrigation channels and the rural water supply scheme, the people of Balam are still waiting for the roads damaged during last monsoons to be repaired. Gup Tashi said the rains damaged around 20 kilometers of roads.
The proposal for reconstruction has been put up to the Dzongda and the gewog is waiting for the monsoon to be over so that work can begin.
(Tashi Deki)
Trainees harvest Oyster mushroom
The trainees of Ugyen Wangchuk Institute for Conservation and Environment (UWICE) harvested 19 kilograms of Oyster mushroom that they grew in their backyard cultivation house.
The mushroom cultivation was initiated as a part of the one-year life skills program certificate course for the trainees given by the Institute and was coordinated by Lham Dorji.
As per the report, the mushroom was harvested from five beds made out of dry hay. The mushroom cultivation began six months ago in collaboration with the mushroom expert, Dorji Wangchuk from Renewable Natural Resources Research and Development Centre (RNR – RDC) Jakar.
Elated with the harvest, the coordinator said that, besides supplementing the diet for the trainees, such life skill programs will provide hand-on training for trainees. “Such life skill will immensely help them in their future” he said.
In addition to this, the Institute is also mulling over implementing other programs such as poultry, beekeeping and kitchen gardening.
Meanwhile, mushroom experts have said that second harvest can be done within ten days from the first harvest. “We can harvest about four times from the same bed if we maintain them properly,” said Lham Dorji.
(Tanden Zangmo)
