9-km Long Farm Road Helps to Increase Income of People in Bhutan's Yuzhug Village

Having access to a farm road helps increase agricultural income and make selling agricultural products easier, improving the standard of living in rural areas. Due to the lack of a road, Yuejug village, which is about 20 kilometres from Bhutan's Sarpang district, has remained isolated.

But after the first cutting was finished, the people claimed that their lives had become more convenient and straightforward. One of the main sources of income for the villagers is orange. Access to a farm road is also anticipated to expand economic opportunities and facilitate simple market access.

As per a resident of Yuejug named Nainda Bdr Khural, "Since the road came, it has been convenient for us. We previously struggled with spending more money while receiving less money in return for oranges. But now we are hoping that the road will enable us to sell for more money."

Gukul Sing Chhetri, a neighbour, added, "We are very happy and anticipate finding it convenient. In the past, we had to carry rations from town on our backs. but not any longer thanks to a farm road nearby. We previously struggled because we produced a variety of vegetables but were unable to sell them due to a lack of a road and market access. They had to go to our cattle. Our vegetables won't go to waste anymore, according to Guma Maya Dahal.

"Returning to our village used to take four and a half hours and it used to take about three and a half hours to get to Sarpang town. But now it takes a little over 30 minutes," Ram Badhur quoted.

The 6.5-kilometer farm road from Labtsakha chiwog's first cutting, according to Singye Gup, was built in 2021 at Nu 2 M. The final 2.5 kilometres to Yuejug village, which had been started in December of last year, have just recently been finished. Its construction cost Nu 750,000.

The Gup added that although Yuejug village only has two households, having access to a farm road might persuade other thram holders to return to the village and settle there. A farm road now connects nearly all of the district's twelve remote gewog villages. More than 90 farm roads have been built by Sarpang so far.