WHERE
Village: Ura, Gewog (County): Ura; Dzongkhag (District): Bumthang; Country: Bhutan
CONTEXT
Sumthrang village which is part of Sumthrang-Beteng-Pangkhar Chiwog, comprising 78 households for a total of 600 persons, are full-time farmers who depend almost entirely on crop production and livestock for their sustainance and income. Their average landholding size is 1 to 2 acres. About 30% of these farming households are headed by women and elderly individuals, making them particularly vulnerable to labour shortages and market barriers. Despite favourable natural conditions, Sumthrang’s farmers face major post-harvest processing challenges. Traditional manual methods such as pounding, grinding, and water mills are labour-intensive and time-consuming; it can take up to an entire day for one person to process 50 kg of buckwheat. Additionally, due to the absence of local milling facilities, farmers must travel to another village for processing. However, in that village, they are often denied daytime access to the machine because residents prioritize their work. As a result, Sumthrang farmers are forced to wait until late at night, sometimes continuing their work until midnight. This not only increases physical strain but also discourages production and leads to substantial product loss.
OBJECTIVES
General objective:
Food security, living conditions and economic resilience of smallholder farmers in Sumthrang Village, Ura Gewog improved through post-harvest mechanization within one year.
Specific objectives:
The working and economic conditions of the farmers improved of the 30% through the use of the mill
The knowledge of 20 young farmers in the use and maintenance of the mills improved
ACTIVITIES
- constitution of a project committee A committee will be constituted by representative of the three implementing organisation. The committee will be responsible to monitor all the activities, to organize the activities and identify providers and workers. The committee will be also responsible to interact with local authorities. Regular meetings will be held and minutes of the meetings prepared.
- Realisation of a mill with main structure and equipment A small house will be built thanks to the contribution received by Nyo Foundation from HH Drigung Chetsang. The construction will be realized in two months. Once the house will be completed, Nyo Foundation will purchase all the needed equipment and installed them.
- Implementation of a training for 20 youth of which 50% women realized Once the mill house will be realized and the equipment purchased, Nyo Foundation will hire an instructor to organize three sessions of 2 days each to train at least 20 participants. The training will be held in the facilities of Sumthrang monastery
- Implementation of a training for the management of the mill A group of selected women will be trained for the administrative management of the mill. A small user fee per kilogram of grain processed will be charged to cover operational costs and create a maintenance fund for repairs and future upgrades. Fees will be collected by an appointed treasurer within the Sumthrang Bumrok-Chigthuen Group, with detailed records maintained using a transparent bookkeeping system. The gewog administration will periodically review these records to ensure accountability and community trust. The training will focus on Recordkeeping and fee management.
- The results and visibility of the project well disseminated.
RESULTS
- One community mill facility for buckwheat and wheat processing installed and operative.
- 20 young farmers of which 50% women trained in mill use and maintenance.
- A transparent and shared fee system to maintain the mill unit established.
- A strong community, partner and donor visibility guarantee.
BENEFICIARIES
Direct beneficiaries: The direct beneficiaries of this project are 78 dedicated farming households, these are primarily smallholder farmers, cultivating an average of 1 to 2 acres of land per household in Sumthrang-Beteng-Pangkhar Ghiwog, Ura Gewog. What makes these households particularly deserving of support is their high degree of vulnerability: about 30% are headed by women and elderly individuals, and these groups often face significant challenges, including labour shortages, limited mobility, and restricted market access. Their reliance on traditional manual post-harvest processing further exacerbates these difficulties, reducing productivity and income, and increasing physical strain, especially for women and the elderly and young migration.
Indirect beneficiaries: 600 persons living in the village of which 350 males and 250 females.
Additional 44 households of the next village, Shingkhar, as they also lack such facilities.
PARTNER
The Sumthrang village Committee
The Sumthrang Bumrok-Chigthuen Tshogpa Farmers Group plays a central role in this project.
Druk Nyo Foundation
The Bhutan Nyo Foundation, ASIA’s partner organization and implementer of the intervention, is a non-profit organization, registered with the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development under the Ministry of Home Affairs since October 2017 in the Non-Profit Act of Bhutan.