Necessity is the mother of invention. Extraordinary people seek opportunity in every crisis. In this life-threatening COVID-19 pandemic, Bhutan is now heading towards food self-sufficiency.
Amid lockdown, Bhutan had initially banned import of food products. The ban was soon lifted as officials comprehended that it was infeasible. The borders between India and Bhutan got sealed because of which food import to the happiest nation of the world got hindered which in turn lead to panic buying.
Bhutan’s borders were closed on March 24, 2020. The government since assured citizens that the country has enough food stocks to last another six months. Though the borders were closed with limited food supplies, the country strived towards attaining food self-sufficiency.
Yeshey Penjor, Bhutan’s Minister for Agriculture, said, the “Lockdown in India and the closure of border gates with India has allowed our farmers to substitute a large portion of the country’s vegetable and meat requirement that are imported from India. We take the Covid-19 pandemic as a blessing in disguise and the pandemic had called for a test of sustainability.” He added further “If we can give agriculture one earnest push today, we will see that many of our biggest problems have gone away. We will wake up to see that suddenly unemployment is no longer a national issue. And we have enough to feed ourselves.”
The agriculture minister wrote to heads of all 20 districts of the country to support farmers by providing them agriculture assistance. “I urge our farmers to produce as much as possible without worrying about the market,” Penjor said.
The leader of the opposition, Pema Gyemtsho, in a statement said that agriculture is a sector that employs 65% of the population and makes up 20% of the country’s GDP. “The government should push this agenda to the top of the list. The investment arm DHI (Drunk Holding Investments), must subsume agriculture as an important avenue to strengthen Bhutan,” remarked the leader of the opposition.
Lack of irrigation facilities, connectivity and access to markets are big challenges for Bhutan. Also, in the absence of proper storage facilities, farmers are forced to sell their produce at the earliest opportunity, irrespective of market prices. Unpredictable weather patterns led to droughts and floods across the region. Recently, hailstorms and strong winds damaged crops in Goshing and in Zhemgang district of southern Bhutan close to the border with Assam. Though the hailstorm destroyed crops only over a few acres but this was a huge loss for smallholder farmers.
In coming days, the ministry of agriculture is set to take radical steps to make Bhutan food self-sufficient. The ministry has decided to promote local foods, vegetables and dairy products in schools and among others. They will also focus on organic farming and its exports.
Prime Minister Lotay Tshering said, “Without investment, ideas alone will not draw the young to take up agriculture.” More investment in the agricultural sector could be one way forward.
The whole idea of self-sufficiency in Bhutan is getting a much needed political boost during the current crisis.
