Lhakpa Quendren

Tsirang— Under the partly cloudy skies, terraces of paddy fields in the rolling mountains of Sergithang Moed in Tsirang are being prepared for paddy cultivation. Forty-eight-year old farmer, Nim Dorji, screams a series of loud commands to a pair of oxen fixed to the yoke, swiftly pulling the plough that burrows through the field.

Monsoon rain that came a little late in the south is yet to arrive in his village. But that did not stop him from tilling his land for rice cultivation. The reason – his hopes are pinned on the new irrigation scheme.

Although the irrigation canal was completed four months ahead of its deadline in October this year, it could not be completed before the onset of paddy cultivation season.  “That’s why we are behind by about 20 days compared to last year,” Nim Dorji says, his tired voice trailing off into silence as he slumps on the rim of the terrace to rest.

His eyes wander about a grove of fruit trees nearby. “Look at those fruit trees bearing fruits. We have such high quality soil for crops here,” he says, letting off a brief sigh of relief. “I believe we are still on time.”

As Nim Dorji resumes to plough his 80-decimal wetland, he says that the harvest from the small plot of land is not enough to feed his family of six for a year.

Farmer Buddha Ram, who lives adjacent to Sergithang Moed, has also started preparing his field for paddy cultivation.

“Initially, I had no plans for paddy cultivation this season, but the irrigation project got completed before the cultivation season ended,” Buddha Ram says.

A little farther away, 38-year-old Phurba is ankle-deep in muddy water, preparing for sapling transplantation. Phurba has prepared six terraces using water from the old canal while the rest are being prepared with water from the new irrigation canal.

“I was worried about not being able to grow rice this year and I was thinking of cultivating maize and pulses,” he says. “I was worried that we would have to completely depend on imported rice this year.”

Phurba owns a small plot of wetland due to fragmented ownership among his family members.

Parts of Sergithang Moed earlier used irrigation water from the old canal, which was unreliable for the past five years. The source of the old irrigation water has been drying up.

The villagers in the lower altitudes worry about water shortage once those in the upper locations resume paddy cultivation next year. The irrigation water is channeled from the source located three kilometres from Sergithang Toed chiwog.

In the past, each village received irrigation water for two days as part of a water sharing arrangement among the villages.   

A proposal to the gewog administration to improve the old canal as an alternative has been submitted.

Farmers in Sergithang Toed, located at higher altitude, could not cultivate paddy this season.

Tshechu, 72, from Sergithang Toed did not wait for the completion of the irrigation project. Instead, he went ahead with maize plantation this year. Green fields of maize surround his two-storeyed traditional house. “The challenge now is to keep the wild animals at bay,” Tshechu says.

The upper areas of Sergithang Toed are less suitable for rice cultivation, and his family of five has been mostly dependent on imported rice.

Farmers quite often have to carry out repairs on the frequently damaged irrigation pipes due to falling boulders and clear blockages during monsoon. They are hopeful that the new irrigation canal will end their troubles.

After the previous irrigation canal was washed away by a flash flood last year, Sergithang gewog and Tsirang dzongkhag administrations constructed the irrigation water supply with Nu 11 million fund support from the Green Climate Fund. The irrigation project benefits 34 households who own a combined 160 acres of wetland and dry land.