𝐍𝐒𝐂 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐉𝐈𝐂𝐀-𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞

…𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒊𝒎 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒑 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕

By Kinzang Lhamo & Tashi Tshewang

Two newly constructed agricultural warehouses at Jewphu and Bondey farms were officially handed over to the National Seed Centre (NSC) in Paro under the Integrated Temperate Fruit Crops Promotion Project on August 1, 2025. Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at a cost of Nu 9.57 million, the facilities will be used to store essential agricultural inputs such as machinery, fertilizers, and pesticides, which are vital for expanding the production and distribution of quality fruit seedlings.

The handover ceremony was attended by Yoichiro Kimata, Chief Representative of the JICA Bhutan Office, and Yonten Gyamtsho, Director of the Department of Agriculture. Both officials signed the transfer documents during the event. The project, launched in 2022 and scheduled to continue through 2027, is being implemented by the Department of Agriculture in collaboration with NSC Paro and the National Centre for Organic Agriculture (NCOA) in Yusipang. The initiative aims to support the country’s shift from subsistence farming to commercial horticulture through improved orchard management and strengthened seedling systems.

A key component of the project includes the development of infrastructure, capacity building for farmers, and the introduction of the Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) approach, which encourages farmers to treat horticulture as a business. It also addresses infrastructure limitations and technical skill gaps within institutions such as NSC and NCOA, while engaging a wide network of farmers, extension officers, and private nursery operators in Paro, Thimphu, and Haa. With horticulture playing an important role in food security and rural income, the completion of these warehouses represents progress toward the Royal Government’s objective of a market-oriented and sustainable agriculture sector.

Shin Suto, Project Formulation Adviser at JICA, said, “JICA’s agricultural cooperation with Bhutan began back in 1964, when we dispatched our first agricultural expert, Nishioka. Since then, agriculture has remained one of the flagship areas of Japan’s cooperation to Bhutan. Even today, it continues to be a vital sector, with around 60 percent of the rural workforce engaged in farming. That’s why Agriculture and Rural Development is one of JICA’s priority programs in Bhutan, along with Infrastructure Development and the Health Sector.”

He noted that JICA is currently supporting three projects in Bhutan’s agriculture sector: the Integrated Temperate Fruit Crops Promotion Project, the Community-Based Human Wildlife Conflict Project, and an upcoming Agriculture Marketing Adviser project. Under the fruit crops project, JICA’s support focuses on strengthening seedling infrastructure at NSC Paro and NCOA Yusipang, building capacity in orchard management, and promoting research that responds to market needs. To support this work, three long-term Japanese experts have been deployed to provide hands-on training and technical guidance.

“Bhutan’s agriculture is gradually transforming from traditional subsistence farming to more commercial, market-driven practices. JICA is helping support this shift through the introduction of market-oriented agriculture where farmers decide what to grow based on market demand, not just habit. Through farmer-led market surveys, sellers’ forums, and targeted training, we’ve seen many farmers in our project areas change their approach from ‘grow and sell’ to ‘grow to sell’. We believe this change in mindset will lead to better income and help build a more resilient, commercially viable agricultural sector in Bhutan,” he added.

Deepak Rai, Program Director of the National Seed Centre, said, “The new warehouse is an integrated facility that brings together multiple essential components, an office, compartments for fruit plant seedlings, manure, tools, and farm stores, along with a dedicated farm machinery shed and other amenities. This setup allows us to deliver all services from one central point.”

He shared that the previous store, built over 50 years ago during the time of the late Dasho Keiji Nishioka, had served the NSC and nearby farming communities with reliability for many decades. With the new warehouse now in place, the infrastructure has improved the working environment and provided a modern and functional space suited to today’s agricultural requirements.

He emphasized that the warehouse ensures safe storage for fruit seedlings through enhanced capacity and upgraded facilities. Equipped with irrigation water taps, it enables regular watering of seedlings, reducing storage mortality and improving plant quality. The new facility can now accommodate between 50,000 to 60,000 plants at one time, compared to the previous store’s capacity of 20,000. Renovated irrigation tanks ensure a stable water supply, and newly installed polyhouses support the production of selected improved varieties of temperate fruit plants. Farm machinery provided through the project has also improved land development and operational efficiency.

He added, “The upgraded facilities including electric lighting for night operations, adequate space for handling and sorting, and even a washroom makes a real difference. This ensures smoother, safer operations and enhances our ability to maintain plant quality during the storage period, especially in winter. We are deeply grateful to the Government of Japan and the JICA Bhutan Office for their generous support through the INTECrop project. Their technical and financial assistance has been instrumental in transforming our farms in Jewphu, Bondey, and Chhundudingkha under NSC Paro.”

Kailash Pradhan, Program Director in Yusipang, said, “As part of the project, we have dispatched a long-term fruit production expert who provides continuous, on-the-job training to relevant stakeholders including interested farmers.”
He explained that as a research-focused center, the emphasis lies in improving fruit seedling propagation by evaluating potential varieties, refining propagation and orchard management practices, and promoting these practices among farmers and agricultural stakeholders. The project has contributed by upgrading the center’s facilities, supporting research activities under improved working conditions.

He stated that the center works closely with extension officers to identify the training needs of progressive farmers, conduct technical training, and monitor field-level progress. Systematic training sessions are conducted for selected farmers and extension officers from the target districts of Thimphu, Paro, and Haa. This method allows for effective transfer of orchard management techniques and helps participants adopt the SHEP approach, moving from a “grow and sell” to a “grow to sell” model.

“Our training approach incorporates the theory of psychology, which emphasizes building farmers’ confidence, promoting autonomy, and fostering a sense of connection. This helps change their mindset so they can proactively meet market demands on their own. We also encourage trained farmers to share what they have learned within their communities, with support from extension officers. Especially in districts like Thimphu and Paro, where many farmers hire contract pruners, the project will also train these pruners in proper management techniques to ensure consistency and quality in orchard care,” he said.

Tshering Dendup, a farmer from Lungnyi Gewog in Paro, said, “Earlier, there was no proper facility where we could bring different fruits and products together to sell. There was no segregation, no organized space, and we couldn’t sell different types of produce in the same location. It was difficult, we either had to travel far to sell our products or depend on middlemen. That often meant we didn’t get good prices, and sometimes our produce would go to waste before we could find a buyer.”

With the completion of the new warehouse under the INTECrop project, farmers like Tshering now have improved opportunities to store and market their produce efficiently. The facility provides protection from the elements and enough space to sort, store, and manage a variety of products.

He concluded, “Now, with this new warehouse, we can sell different products in one place, and that helps us earn better. Even when the weather changes, the warehouse gives us a reliable space to store and manage our produce. This is especially important for us small farmers. It encourages us to grow more and rely on our own production instead of depending on outside suppliers. I think this will really help our community become more self-sufficient and income-driven in the long run.”