Agriculture needs decisive action

The recently released Integrated Census of Agriculture and Livestock 2023 by the National Bureau of Statistics reveals disturbing trends in Bhutan’s agricultural sector. While the number of agricultural farms has increased, the production of major cereals has declined.

Bhutan currently has about 69,008 agricultural farms, an increase from 67,093 in 2022. However, the total production of major cereals in 2023 was 68,786 tons, a 2% decrease from 70,168 tons in the previous year. This illogical behavior of increasing agricultural farms and reducing production indicates a serious problem that requires immediate action by the government.

The decline in agricultural productivity is not an isolated incident, but part of a disturbing trend. Although agriculture underpins our economy along with hydropower and tourism, the sector has long been neglected. Only about 7% of our land is arable, and human-wildlife conflict and Common (The empty household phenomenon) has led to further decline of agriculture and posed a serious threat to my country’s food security.

The implications of this downward trend are far-reaching. Our increasing reliance on imports to meet basic food needs makes us subject to external forces that can be unpredictable and costly. This vulnerability highlights the urgent need to strengthen our agricultural sector to ensure self-sufficiency and resilience to external shocks.

Historically, agriculture has received the lowest budget allocation of any industry. Even the recent slight increase in funding is nowhere near enough to truly transform the sector – a purely incremental approach will not be enough. We need a comprehensive strategy and significant investment to revitalize agriculture and secure our future.

We must prioritize investment in modern agricultural technologies. This includes providing farmers with quality seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation systems. We still need to do more in this regard. Introducing and scaling up sustainable agricultural practices can help alleviate the challenges of limited arable land and environmental degradation.

Innovative solutions are needed to address human-wildlife conflict. Implementing community-based wildlife management programs and providing compensation for crop losses can help balance conservation efforts with agricultural productivity. Policies aimed at relocating abandoned villages should be actively pursued to revitalize rural communities and increase agricultural production.

Improving infrastructure and farmers’ access to markets is also critical. Building better roads, storage facilities, and processing plants can reduce post-harvest losses and ensure that farmers get a fair price for their produce. Empowering farmers’ cooperatives and associations can also facilitate better market linkages and collective bargaining power. Here, too, we have a lot of work to do.

Investing in agriculture is not only about addressing the immediate food security issue, but is also a strategic move to curb the outflow of young talent to seek better opportunities abroad. By creating a vibrant and sustainable agricultural sector, we can provide meaningful employment opportunities and promote rural development. In the long run, this will help us achieve our overall goal of becoming a self-sufficient and prosperous country.