The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Addressing the issue of crop and livestock depredation by wildlife, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL) Minister Younten Phuntsho highlighted the substantial impact on agricultural productivity. With nearly 8,275 metric tons of crops, valued at Nu 365 million, and livestock worth around Nu 12 million lost annually to wildlife, effective measures are crucial for enhancing crop and livestock production.
The 13th Five Year Plan (FYP) proposes to fence 24,000 acres of paddy fields, 12,000 acres of maize, and 9,000 acres of potato fields using chain link fencing, with an estimated budget of Nu 5.1 billion. An additional Nu 2.8 billion is planned to secure critical crops if the budget allows.
Lyonpo Younten Phuntsho said, “The criteria for prioritizing locations for chain link fencing include the area of farmland protected, type of crops grown, prevalence of wild animals, severity of wildlife damage, types of land, number of households benefited, poverty rate, human-wildlife conflict hotspots, and land ownership.”
MoAL had previously proposed a National Crop and Livestock Compensation Scheme in 2016 and a crop and livestock insurance proposal in 2021, both of which were not approved due to financial constraints and administrative concerns.
However, recognizing the importance of providing a safety net for farmers, the ministry has developed a new proposal for a crop and livestock insurance scheme in consultation with the Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan and Bhutan Insurance Limited. This proposal, focusing initially on cattle, poultry, and piggery, was presented to the parliament in response to a motion on creating and implementing a compensation trust fund.
MoAL continues to support farmers with technologies, such as electric fencing, acoustic equipment with sensors, portable solar fencing, and recently, chain link fencing. In the past two fiscal years, the ministry has installed 33.5 kilometers of portable solar fencing and 87 kilometers of chain link fencing across various dzongkhags, benefiting over 1,290 households and protecting more than 3,600 acres of farmland.
