Cattle rearing is an integral part of the smallholder dairy farmers. Cattle are reared in Bhutan for various purposes. It serves as an important source of income through the sale of meat, dairy products and Farm Yard Manure. It also provides draught power for farming. Additionally, dairy farming helps in employment generation.

CARLEP-IFAD supports smallholder dairy farmers by facilitating the subsidized purchase of crossbred cows and cattle sourcing in the programme areas thereby, reducing rural poverty by stimulating the production of dairy products by poor rural households.

Cattle sourcing has helped dairy farmers in improving the cattle breed and also played a pivotal role in increasing milk production in the Dzongkhag. In FY 2020-2021, the Lhuentse Dzongkhag livestock sector has sourced 70 heads of cattle.

Mr. Tashi Wangchuk, 38, is one of the progressive dairy farmers from Minjey geog. He has a fulfilling experience from his four-years-old dairy venture. In the past, Tashi had 20 numbers of native cows and 1 jersey cow which produced only 8 to 12 liters of milk in a day and it would help him earn a monthly income of Nu 8000 to Nu 10000 at the maximum. The income he earned from vegetables and dairy could hardly suffice his monthly expenses. Later, Tashi came across the information on cattle purchase subsidy provided by the project. He approached the gewog livestock office for the necessary assistance and received support for cattle purchase and cattle shed construction.

Tashi sold all his native cows and replaced them with jersey breed. In addition to the money he received from selling his native cows, he availed loan of Nu 350,000 from CSI bank and purchased 6 jersey cows with 30% subsidy support from CARLEP-IFAD in addition to the cost of transportation of cattle from source to destination. At present, he has a total of 10 jersey cows including 6 milching cows and 4 calves. As of today, he is the highest milk supplier in the gewog. He supplies 40 to 50 liters of milk daily to the milk collection center at Minjey which is collectively managed by his dairy group, Lhamo Norjin Phendhen Deytshen. Currently, he receives a monthly income of Nu 60,000 to Nu 70,000 from selling fresh milk.

With the quick returns from selling milk, he was able to purchase a vehicle and construct a house for his family. In few years down the line, Tashi plans to expand his dairy farm to help the district and our country at large by contributing to achieve dairy product self-sufficiency.

“With Hard Work And Tenacity, We Can Reap Success And Everlasting Happiness”

~Tashi Wangchuk

Article by: Tashi Tshering, ES, Minjey Gewog, Lhuentse and Chhimi Lhamo, GKMO, OPM