The Growing Opportunity

Tendrel Zangmo Doya, a mother of two, was delighted to share her experience with the project as an eye-opening opportunity for her family and many others in her community. The people of Trading (Ngwang Dramtoe and Namgyal Taba) previously depended on consuming non-wood forest products with minimal knowledge and skills to carry out agricultural activities and water scarcity.

Through this project, the people not only acquired the skills to grow various vegetables but also enabled them in selling their harvest to generate income to run their households. This has been expressed as true progress as the age-old habit of consuming only two meals a day is slowly changing to three as they now have sufficient food. “The younger generation of our community is aware and can recognize the non wood forest products but they prefer eating garden-grown vegetables. I think it has better nutrients and there is good motivation as we can generate a fair amount which helps in meeting the needs of the house.

Before we could not even make enough money to buy a bag of rice, now I am focusing on producing a huge number of green chili and I feel happy as it benefits my family, especially my children”, said Tendrel when asked what the project meant to her. While there may be a long road ahead to progress beyond the project, the project has created a concrete base from which they can build the momentum to improve further. The biggest takeaway from all the activities was the marketing of their goods and the people are now confident in growing better and bigger to cater to their living standard and the society at large.