We whine a lot about our economy. Rupee crisis proved it
otherwise. And we hardly care about the remedy.
Consuming local vegetables can help solve the problem. It
might seem like a stupid economics but impact can be real.
An individual buying a basket of local vegetables costing
around Nu 500 may not make difference to economy but when all does a new
economy will be born.
And sadly, our economy doesn’t indicate much about the rural
poverty. But there’s certainly a way to alleviate this rural plague.
There’s growing criticism on the 11th plan’s
theme of ‘rural prosperity and urban wellbeing.’ The truth is urban is in chaos
and rural still in chill penury. But that’s not the irreversible apocalypse.
Modernizing agriculture industry might be a future economic
strength of Bhutan. Farmers in the remote fields are still ploughing as their
forefathers did centuries ago. But neighbouring countries have adopted
innovations. Perhaps that is why foreign products flood in our country.
A simple example is imported vegetables. Our soil is as
fertile as the foreign soil except we cultivate it differently. Our farm input
is costly and strenuous whereas foreign farms are mechanized and easy.
So it is no surprise when the economic indicators show the
decline in agricultural growth. When the government gave incentives to farmers
to grow more vegetables only few farmers took interest. The interested farmers
took the shortcut. They cultivated easy vegetables.
The winter vegetable production saw only few variety
vegetables grown everywhere. It was a blow to the government’s policy to grow
all variety of vegetables in the country. There’s no way we can curb import if
local vegetables lacked variety.
And consumers still prefer the beauty of imported
vegetables.
Perhaps it is ignorance for our consumers to compromise
health over price and show. Health awareness has taken the backseat. Nutritious
local vegetables can be easily ignored over pulchritude of imported vegetable
grown using deadly chemical fertilizers. Imported vegetables contain chemical
fertilizers more than the permissible limits which affects our nervous system
and reproductive system. What a scary fact for a small society like ours!
Studies revealed that everyday an average Indian consumes
vegetables that contain over 40 deadly chemical pesticides. Our dependence on
imported vegetables follows suit.
Yet, even the educated lot turn blind eye to this reality.
We tend to react only when consequences pinch. Like the rupee crisis.
We need to open our eyes. Prick our conscience.
It’s time we build our society on a strong foundation. It’s
time we consume vegetables grown by own farmers. The impact will be glorious.
Poor farmers in remote areas are trying their best to make an
income from growing vegetables. But to their dismay consumers don’t opt for
local vegetables. Perhaps this is why the rain seeps more in rural homes than
the unruly lifestyle of costly apartments in towns.
People might argue they don’t see much farmers coming to
towns to sell vegetables from whom they can buy. But the reality is it is
beyond the means of the farmers to bring their goods to the market.
That’s why buyers need to go to the farmers and buy from
them directly. This will let farmers earn real income.
But this can only happen if consumers prefer local
vegetables. It can only happen if schools, institutions, restaurants, hotels,
hospitals, monastic schools, resorts, and retailers can prefer local
vegetables. It can only happen if government takes a huge step forward to make
this happen.
Then everything will be ours. The vegetables, the money, the
health, and the economy.
We don’t have to rely on rupees nor have to import. Our
farmers will no longer be in destitution if they start earning from growing
vegetables. Perhaps this might be a solution to alleviate poverty than policies
based on academics.
Yes, and it doesn’t take anything to make a decision to
switch to local vegetables. Because local vegetables are healthy, fresh and
affordable.
Khampa
CEO
FreshVeg
