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Promising rural voters to get power tillers for free or at subsidized prices would win good support for any political party. Farmers know that power tillers can make farm work easier and faster.
Known as the “farmer’s friend,” the power tiller is much more than a Toyota Prado for a wealthy businessman or contractor. It can till and level the land, producing as much or more than three pairs of oxen in a day. It can thresh, pump water, and during the off-season, transport agricultural products, construction materials, and even provide emergency rescue services.
If we are to find a solution, Gugetong (vacant households) and encourage farmers to stay in the village to grow food, agricultural mechanization is essential. Since rural helpers are scarce or expensive, mechanized equipment such as power tillers, threshers, and winnowers can Stopping farmers from abandoning their farms and moved to towns to live with their children or relatives.
Recognizing this, successive governments have tried this approach. Power tillers were distributed to clans to help farmers. Farmers could rent the tillers at a cheaper price. This approach worked well for a while. For example, in 2018, the cost of renting a private power tiller was 500 Ngultrum per hour. Many people waited for the “Zhungi Potela”. But due to the short farming season and reliance on traditional irrigation water distribution systems, not many people could enjoy this service. The intention was good, but it could not meet the needs of farmers.
It is not surprising to see many tillers that are out of service, need repairs or are waiting to be disposed of. What is missing is the ownership of these valuable machines. The attitude is that the tiller belongs to everyone, but at the same time it belongs to no one. The tillers are privately owned and can be used for many years. There are many tillers in the village that have exceeded their warranty period because they have not been properly maintained.
Although the government’s power tiller program sounds like a failed project, it should not be stopped. In fact, we need to support farmers by improving mechanization. Every year, the work cycle is a problem for farmers waiting for government intervention. Farmers need pumps to irrigate their fields, cultivators to plough the land, transplanters to level the land, harvesters and threshers to Simplify farming practices and encourage them to grow food.
Food imports, including our staple rice, are increasing every year. So is the fallowing of scarce domestic arable land. Agricultural technology has been recognized as a solution to increase yields, efficiency, if not profitability. We should not hold back just because a tiller is in a bad state of repair.
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