SATV, Kathmandu, July. 29 - Families in Logchina Gewog are struggling as ginger rots and maize is eaten by armyworms, with

changing weather patterns are making farming increasingly uncertain. Almost 90 % of households

rely on ginger for income, while maize is important for food, leaving families facing repeated crop

losses and worry over their earnings and sustenance.

Heavy rainfall, high humidity, and irregular sunshine have helped pests and diseases spread, turning once-productive fields into damaged plots. Along the narrow farm roads leading from Phuentsholing, farmland reflects how farming

conditions in the gewog are gradually changing. What was once a reliable farming routine has now

become increasingly uncertain. The changes are affecting both farmers’ income and the stability

of local food production.

Atam Rai from Dhokham said, “I have been working in farming for more than 15 years and have

faced many difficulties, especially when preparing the land for cultivation. Farmers have to spend

long hours clearing stones and other obstacles from the fields before they can start planting crops

like ginger and maize. Farming requires a great deal of physical effort and patience, and the income

from agriculture is never fixed as it changes every year depending on production and market

conditions.”

He explained that the income from ginger and maize farming fluctuates from year to year. During

good harvest seasons, farmers can earn up to Nu. 100,000, but in poor years the earnings decline

sharply due to crop diseases and unpredictable weather conditions that affect production.

He said, “In some years we make a good profit from ginger and maize, but in other years the

harvest becomes very low. When the disease attacks, it damages the leaves and prevents the crops

from growing properly. The plants turn yellow and white, reducing production. This problem has

been affecting our crops for about seven years, and despite ongoing prevention efforts, farmers are

still struggling to control it.”

Menu Kumari Ghalley, a resident of Logchina, said she has been cultivating ginger and maize for

the past nine to ten years. She explained that farmers in the village did not face many problems in

the early years of cultivation, but recent years have brought increasing challenges for farmers,

leading to serious losses for households. She added that ginger has long been the main source of

income for many families and is crucial for supporting their livelihoods.

She said, “At first we did not face many problems while growing ginger and maize, but now we

are experiencing significant losses. Ginger is the backbone of our village and helps us provide a

better life for our families. We hope our problems and our voices will be heard by the government

and that support will be provided to help us overcome this challenge.”

Nar Bdr Bishwa, a resident of Logchina, said, “Ever since my childhood, I have been growing

ginger and maize, and in the earlier days our main challenge was transportation rather than crop

diseases. Back then, we did not face many problems with the crops themselves, and production

was relatively stable.”

The situation has changed in recent years as diseases have increasingly affected ginger and maize

cultivation. About 60 percent of his land is planted with ginger, and nearly 30 percent of it has

been damaged. Changing weather patterns have also made it difficult for farmers to maintain

production and quality, threatening the livelihoods of many households in the area.

He said, “Now the ginger is drying up, the quality has deteriorated, and many plants are affected

by diseases. I am worried that our village, once known for producing good ginger and maize, may

remain only in name without quality products if this continues.”

Tham Bdr Rai, the Gup of Logchina, said, “In Logchina Gewog, many people depend heavily on

ginger and maize cultivation as their main source of livelihood, and the problem affecting these

crops is not new to the community. For many years, farmers here have relied on these crops to

sustain their families, but recently several villages have been facing increasing challenges due to

crop diseases and declining production, which has directly affected farmers’ income and food

security.”

Logchina Gewog has around 448 households, many of which rely on agriculture for their

livelihoods. In response to the growing concern, the gewog administration has requested support

from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and other relevant agencies to provide farmers

with technical guidance and assistance to better manage the crop disease.

He said, “In 2025, we received a medicine called Cypermethrin from the agriculture department

to help prevent and control the disease affecting the crops. While the medicine helped to some

extent and reduced the problem slightly, it has not been able to completely stop or fully control the

disease. As a result, many farmers continue to face difficulties as the problem still affects ginger

and maize production in the gewog.”

Gyembo Dorji, the Gewog Agriculture Officer explained, “Recently, farmers have reported that

managing crops has become increasingly difficult. When it rains, droplets hitting diseased ginger

plants spread the infection to healthy ones. This has made it difficult to control the spread, and

even maize is affected as changing weather and sunshine prevent proper growth.”

He explained that ginger and maize are cultivated on a large scale in the gewog, which makes

disease management challenging. Although measures such as proper drainage systems and seed

treatments have been provided to farmers to reduce the impact, the weather itself cannot be

controlled, and the crops remain vulnerable to climatic changes.

He added, “We have taken measures like drainage solutions and seed treatments to control the

disease. But the weather cannot be controlled, and farmers still face difficulties in growing healthy

ginger and maize across the gewog.”

The struggles faced by farmers in Logchina Gewog reflect a growing challenge confronting many

agricultural communities across Bhutan. Crops that once provided reliable income and food

security are increasingly threatened by disease, pests, and shifting climate patterns.

While local authorities and agriculture officials have begun providing technical support and preventive

measures, farmers say more sustained efforts are needed to safeguard production. For the people

of Logchina, the future of ginger and maize farming will depend on stronger disease management,

climate-resilient practices, and continued support to ensure that these traditional crops remain a

source of livelihood rather than uncertainty.