Farmers in Lingmukha Chiwog in Punakha are struggling to protect their paddy from wildlife as the harvest season approaches. They spend their days chasing birds from their fields and their nights guarding against wild boars and deer. With the ageing electric fence no longer keeping animals out, farmers are calling for chain-link fencing to protect their crops and ease the growing human-wildlife conflict.
With a sling in hand, 63-year-old Wangchuk walks through his paddy field in Lingmukha Chiwog, trying to chase away birds feeding on the ripening grains. He swings the sling, and the birds scatter, but they soon return, forcing him to repeat the exercise. As the grains ripen, he must keep watch, hoping to save what he has worked hard to grow.
The work does not end when the birds fly away. As dusk falls, Wangchuk must guard his field against wild boars and deer. With fewer family members available to help, protecting the harvest is becoming increasingly exhausting.
“Our farming capacity is gradually declining due to a shortage of manpower in villages. We no longer cultivate cereals such as wheat, buckwheat and barley. These crops have not been cultivated in our community for more than 15 years now,” he said.
Despite their efforts, farmers cannot always keep the animals away. Wild boars trample the paddy, flattening plants that are almost ready for harvest.
The problem begins long before the grains ripen. Farmers say they must protect their crops from the time they transplant the seedlings.
“As soon as we transplant the paddy seedlings, we have to guard them against deer, which start eating from early stage. Later, we have to protect the crops from birds. Now, as the paddy begins to ripen, we have to guard the fields against wild boars,” said Tsagay, the Lingmukha Tshogpa.
Around 30 households in Lingmukha currently cultivate paddy, producing between 20 and 25 tonnes each year.
The government installed electric fencing in the chiwog in 2011, helping farmers protect their fields. However, farmers say the ageing fence has become less effective, allowing wild animals to enter their farmland.
“We are facing severe human-wildlife conflict in our chiwog. During the day, we have to chase birds away from our fields, while at night, we have to guard our crops against wild boars. These challenges discourage our youth from taking up farming. Providing chain-link fencing would encourage more young people to engage in agriculture. The government has been providing various forms of support to promote farming,” said farmer Dawa Norbu.
Farmers say the growing threat from wildlife is affecting crop production, with more than 25 acres of farmland already left fallow. The chiwog also produces vegetables during the winter, making crop protection important beyond the paddy harvest.
The gewog administration says it cannot afford to install chain-link fencing using its own resources. It is, however, seeking to have Lingmukha included in the second phase of the government’s chain-link fencing trial.
Lingmukha Gup Kinley Tenzin said the gewog is waiting for the chiwog to be prioritised in the second phase of the programme. “If the Gewog Administration had the authority to provide the fencing, we could confirm when it would be installed. However, since this is a government initiative, we have only heard that there is a second phase, but we cannot confirm when it will be provided,” he said.
He added that the Gewog Tshogde has already decided to prioritise Lingmukha Chiwog if the second phase is implemented.
For farmers, the wait means continuing to protect their crops with the resources they have. Until more effective fencing is provided, the daily task of chasing birds and guarding against wild animals is likely to continue.
Changa Dorji, Punakha
Edited by Sangay Chezom
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