Nawang P Phuntsho

This Bhutanese month (May 16 - June 13) is observed as S aga-Dawa , a holy month in the country. It is popularly or infamousely known as the time when the sale of meat items is banned in Bhutan. And it's also an opportunity for us to put a light brake on our mighty meaty appetites. Consequently, restaurants are encouraged to serve their customers rich vegetarian meals during the period. Similar ban is also observed every first month of the Bhutanese calendar . But going by what's happening, the saga-dawa is a month long mandatory and government sanctioned holiday for the butchers and meat vendors. Being holy month does not really make a difference to the menus in the restaurants from rest of the  months in the year.  Meat is available in all the restaurants and even small eateries ensure that their customers are served their favorite dishes. They're only being wise and practical because if they don't serve meat their customers would move to the restaurant n...

Last few months have been a real test of patience and humility for many residents of Motithang in Thimphu as they struggled with limited or no water. Some tenants were seen carrying water in various jerrycans from the neighboring apartments. Our people are helpful that way. Some tenants had to keep their big buckets and cans outside to collect rainwater for all their bathroom needs. Most residents kept quiet and went about their normal businesses. Water supply is still is erratic and people wonder when life would be back to normal again.  Some house owners complained about the issue to the concerned authorities. They were made to understand the shortage is from the source. And to their surprise, officials were saying that the water source is gradually drying up and that supply would never be consistent, hereafter. That worried tenants. I am sure house owners panicked.  "We had no water problem for as long as we remember; it's only after some new in-charge to...

Reports show that about 58% of Bhutanese are involved in agriculture, but the sector contributes only about 14% to our Gross Domestic Product.  According to  Bhutan Trade Statistics , 2017, Bhutan imports vegetables worth Nu. 3,823,879,525 (US$ 58,828,916) and rice worth Nu. 1,979,747,923 (US$ 30,457,660). Isn't that a lot to chew? We are not even talking of other food items here.    That means people who are into agricultural activities are unable to feed the rest of us. That also goes to show how less we are growing on our farms and talks a lot about our fallow fields in rural areas.  Now, if the remaining 42% of Bhutanese, who grow nothing on our own, can consume food items worth that much, we certainly have big market here for our agricultural produces. Don't you think? How do we do that?  I think it's possible, at least to reduce our food imports. The key is to make farming sexier. Let's not leave it out to the rural farmers. In th...