Bhutan's thriving hydroponic agriculture
A new crown epidemic and subsequent embargo has left millions of people around the world without a source of income, and Kinley Wangmo and her family from Bhutan have not been spared. But unlike others, this mother has rediscovered a way to make a living through hydroponic farming. Hydroponics grows crops in special bodies of nutrient-rich water without the use of soil.
At first, she was just curious, but soon became delighted. She took online training and realized that this innovative technology had great potential, especially for Bhutan, a landlocked country in the foothills of the Himalayas. Bhutan has an extremely fragmented distribution of arable land and faces ongoing challenges to food security.
Hydroponic agriculture uses less water than soil-based agriculture, produces higher yields, and can be practiced year-round. Although the initial investment may be high and installation can be difficult, hydroponics simplifies agriculture to the extreme, requiring only plants, water, containers, and a light source to perform.
Imported hydroponic systems are too expensive, and she has spent a lot of time consulting with foreign experts in order to save money, hoping to develop affordable solutions for Bhutanese farmers.
In 020, Kinley built a small greenhouse in the Changzantok district of the capital city of Thimphu, opening up hydroponic agriculture in Bhutan.
In early 2024, she was selected for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Peri-Urban and Urban Agriculture Project. The project is implemented by Bhutan's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and a total of 30 people were funded.
With the funds provided by the project, along with self-financing, Kinle purchased land, agricultural equipment and facilities, and seeds. The project also provided technical support and guided her through the installation of greenhouses, stands, irrigation systems and digital equipment.
Step by step, her vision became a reality as three spacious greenhouses were completed.
The main benefit of hydroponics is that plants and vegetables grow faster and take up less space than traditional soil farming,” she explains. In the greenhouse, we can control everything and make sure the plants grow well.”
She is actively promoting hydroponics in Bhutan. She shares her experience in hydroponic agriculture and sells hydroponic systems that are more in line with Bhutan's situation at a price much lower than imported equipment.
About one-third of Bhutan's population faces food insecurity. Farmers' landholdings are becoming smaller and more fragmented, and coupled with the large number of young adults migrating from the countryside to the cities, the labor-intensive agricultural sector is in trouble.
The urban food supply is entirely dependent on foreign imports or rural imports, which has been particularly exposed during the epidemic. In response, Bhutan's Ministry of Agriculture has been pushing for a strategy to develop urban agriculture.
Kinley wants food self-sufficiency and food security in urban areas, including the capital city where she lives.
Food security in cities is a pressing issue,” she says. I want to do my part to make fresh-picked, nutritious food available to everyone. Life in the city is fast-paced and access to quality food is quite difficult. Our goal is to reduce food waste and promote healthier meal habits.”
Agriculture, livestock and forestry are the backbone of Bhutan's economy, supporting about 57% of the population. The share of the agricultural sector in GDP has been declining steadily, although it has increased in absolute terms due to rapid growth in other sectors of the economy.
In addition to this, Bhutan's level of agricultural productivity is constrained by a number of unfavorable factors, including urbanization and rapid development, wildlife infestation of crops, land fragmentation, pests and diseases, rising temperatures, and shortages of agricultural inputs. As a result, Bhutan is drifting away from the goal of food security and self-sufficiency.
The FAO project seeks to address these issues: bringing crop production as close as possible to consumer markets to meet the growing demand in urban areas; demonstrating new technologies to facilitate the transformation of the agri-food system; and creating more employment and income opportunities, especially for the empowerment of women and youth.
Kinley currently employs nine people, most of whom are single mothers and young people. The current focus of the business is growing lettuce, which her team harvested three times in five months to supply various hotel chains in Bhutan. There are two varieties of lettuce grown now, and as the business continues to expand, she plans to add three more varieties of lettuce and recruit more staff in the future.
Kinley says, “Despite the difficulties, I am motivating youth and women to take up agriculture through technology extension because agriculture is actually quite simple.”She believes that farming with technology is more attractive because it is easier and cleaner than traditional farming.
She expanded her business earlier this year, selling lettuce and salads in the capital and neighboring towns. She says she will expand the business further to meet the rapidly growing market demand.
Kinley is fully committed to innovating and helping the future of food security. She is an inspiration to many and Bhutanese agriculture is expected to create a new paradigm for development.
