Bhutan

Soybean returns to Yobinang village

Soybean returns to Yobinang village

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Yobinang village is located in Trashigang district's Shongphu gewog in Bhutan's eastern region. It is one of the many rural communities in Bhutan where agriculture is the main source of livelihood and challenges of sustaining their agrarian community is an everyday concern. Over 80% of farmers in this village grew diverse crops under traditional farming methods two decades ago including the soybean.

Over the years, the cultivation of soybean slowly disappeared. Farmers believe that the use of chemical fertilizers to enhance production in the 1980s led to the deterioration of the soil quality. No new agricultural technology on soybean had reached the farmers.

In 2010, UNDP/GEF funded Integrated Livestock and Crop Conservation Project (ILCCP) was initiated to help the Yobinang farmers in Shongphu deal with their concerns in restoring the soybean production, processing and marketing means. Interventions were made with the additional support from the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC) to initiate the formation of farmers groups, promote the use of quality seeds and organic soil nutrient enrichment and to enhance product processing, packaging and marketing.

The project is facilitated in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Renewable Natural Resources -Research and Development Center, National Organic Programme, Department of Agriculture and Marketing Cooperatives, and the Dzongkhag (district) Agriculture Sector.

 

 

 

 

Farmers were enthusiastic to form this group and the intervention saw immediate progress in the investment in quality seeds and organic soil enrichment. The farmers were successfully trained in the improved method of processing their product; and additionally educated in mechanical skills to use electric drier machines. Working innovatively, the farmers use both solar and electric driers instead of waiting for the sun's heat to dry the product, improving the product quality and saving time for the women who are involved in processing the beans.

The introduction of flour mills is also putting an end to the manually operated stone grinder. Additionally using flour mills to pound the beans has made the farmers lives easier and leaves them with more time to concentrate on additional means of income generation. Owing to the improvement in the product, a local market has been created for the soybean. In addition, this has further restored important ingredients in the community's daily diet.

The project has started securing income for the members of the farmers' group.

Highlights of the project:

1.      Farmers' Group  comprising of 34 members in the community has been successfully formed

2.      Group saving scheme initiated by contributing Nu 100/households per sale of soybean products

3.      Total income: 17,400 of which Nu.6600 has been deposited as group savings

4.      The use of quality seeds, organic soil nutrient enrichment and enhanced product processing, packaging and marketing is successfully in place

5.      Replacement of the traditional drying system with the solar electric driers

Through the collective efforts above, a market demand has been created within the local market but the volume of production is low. Despite the impediment of a steady market, the project is a huge community success. Since July 2009 to June 2011 a total of 360kg of soybean has been sold in two seasons. The revival of the soybean in Yobinang village has encouraged the ILCCP to take this to another remote district in Decheling, Pemagatshel where the soil is more organic and will have a better yield.