A Place deeply moving with simplicity and a sense of humour

Beautiful Kaptong village with rich environmental well-being and friendliness.

Kaptong Community School.

A beautiful house roofing with banana dried leaves and CGI sheet at Kaptong village

Derthang Choeten( Stupa) on the junction between Bjoka Gewog Centre road  and Remadu village located alike castle on the sky.

A hidden valley of Kaptong village  enriched with cultures and beautiful environment

These places was explored and  visited during our annual germplasm expedition and  collection on 12-01-2019 to 24-01-2019 at Bjoka and Ngangla  Gewog( Block) under Zhemgang Dzongkhag( district)

A Stupas infront of Remadu Community Lhakhag

A Remadu Community Lhakhang ( Temple)

A largest bamboo species I had ever seen in the Remadu village

Adhatoda vasica  plant, usually its flowers were taken as curries as it contain medicinal properties. Called Khasermo momnang ( Sharchop dialect). Vernacular name in english is Malabar nut.

Kharapshing( Especially designed wooden structure ) with Lalpati flower.

Traditional greeting item  or beverages serving to guest still in practice.

People and environment out there are great and living in harmony with nature. They cultivate cereal crop varying from Druna Rinchen Nga( Five traditonal crops) to Drunaghu( nine tradtional crops) mostly of cereals and some oil seeds crops. Despite growing fruits crops , weaving bamboo products also most popular. Above all, there community rich culture and tradition are still intact and that's why every visitors were happy and returns with good memories. They are self sufficient and farm road connectivity, electricity, telecommunication networks and basic schooling and health facilities were also present.  So, i hope and pray that people of these communities will stay and success with same spirit of  peace and prosperity for all times to come.

Visit to Phajoding and Thujey Dra Monastery on 21-03-2019

Monastic School up to Zindra Duenpa under Zhung Dratsang.

Viewing Thujey dra from the parallel spot.

Phajoding Monastery and  its place is mainly blessed  by the 13th Century great Tibetan Buddhist master Lam Phajo Drugom  Shigpo ( 1184-1251). He is very important in the early spread of the Drukpa School to Bhutan.  It is believed that he is the revered as an emanation of Avalokitesvara. It is a one day hike from Thimphu Motithang and Sangaygang site whichever ways you wanted. It is a must place to visit especially for nature and  historical site lovers.

Altar with Lam Phajodrugom Shigpo and Avalokiteshvera painting on this very vertical ritual cake like rock.

According to Thujedra temple caretaker, lopen Kinly, there are Phuzhi ( 4 hills) Drazhi( 4 caves) and Dzongzhi( four fortress) blessed by Guru Padmasamvaba and Thujeydra is one of Drazhi located at Phajoding. Lam Phajo Drukgomzhipo upon arrival there had meditated on little hermitage site  and had vision where he encountered real avalokitesvera on this very spot of ritual cake like rock. With the nonmenclature; "Thujedra" was derived from ( Phagpa Thujeychenpo) the place thus was called as Thujeydra.


The main nangten( statues) inside temple is Chagtong Chentong ( 1000 eyes and hands forms of Avalokitesversa. Then statues of Lam Phajo Drugom Shigpo and Khandro ( consort) Sonam Pelden.

Also has Statues of Zhandrung Rinpoche which is believed to sculptured there only.

Beautiful stupa overlooking  Thimphu valley located near Thujeydra.

Imprinted forms of Dechhog Kilkhor and Future Buddha Jowo Jampa(Matriya) on the rock. Those who believed in Buddhist tradition are well known that a bodhisattva called Maitreya will appear on Earth as successor to the present Buddha, Gautama ( also known as Sakyamuni Buddha).

Breath taking spot deeply melted with nature

Glimpse of monasteries 

Scene from monastic school

Random capture of monasteries

Soak up in the snowy environment 

Some plant species with fruits 

Plants with seeds almost shattering due to nature call

As nature and a pilgrim's journey loving guy, I made three times visits and still wants to do in future whenever time permits with families, relatives and colleagues. I would also like to suggest others interested travelers to travel and enjoy the gift of nature and its sacred sites.

Germplasm exploration and collection expedition in Nangkhor,Shingkhar,Ngangla and Bjoka Gewog of Zhemgang Dzongkhag (12-01-2019 to 24-01-2019)

                                                         

Farmers with Agriculture Extension Officers displaying their rich germplasm 

Background

The four Gewogs (block) viz; Phangkhar, Goshing, Trong and Bardo Germplasm Collection Expedition (GCE) was conducted in 2016 as part of 11^th Five Year Plan (FYP) of 2016-2017 fiscal years based on our work plan. This time collection was based on 2018 to 2019 fiscal year work plan of 12^th FYP making completed mission for Zhemgang Dzongkhag. The next phase could be replacing non-viable seeds of same samples with locations and refills and rebuild those accessions of poor germination and low viability performance in the genebank.

Objectives

·         To explore and collect germplasm from remaining four Gewogs

·         To study and capture diversity with farming system across these Gewogs

·         To formulate and recommend future policy and technical related backstopping programme

Methodology

The collection team didn’t collect from next households if one provides all diversity within one location. Captured and maintained uniqueness with quality seeds sample across Chiwogs (sub-block). The Agro-biodiversity and germplasm collection expeditons objectives were shared based on their time availability and seeds payments were  made as the prevailing rates in their locality.

 Collection Results.

We have collected around 90 samples from four Geqwogs( Blocks) including cereals, fodders, legumes and oil seed crops.

Maize shelling for collection 

Findings

The Drunaghu (Nine Traditional Crops of Bhutan) diversity existence and current cultivation practices were on verge of extinction due to following reasons:

·         Availability of hybreed seeds

·         Poor yield and production of traditional crops

·         Land fragmentation

·         Shifting cultivation ban

·         Changes in the source of income generation

·         Lack of awareness on market and value addition

·         Human wildlife conflict

·         Labour shortage

·         Poor knowledge on nutrition diversity consumption and its diets

·         Limited contemporary agriculture practices and income generating ideas

·         Lack of consistent hard work and permanent ingrained mindset of subsistence farming.

To interpret further on this, especially the farmers of Bjoka, they focused mainly on bamboo products weaving and its arts. Farmer’s cultivate only few numbers of crops and maintain mini-vegetables garden. In some Chiwogs, they land up buying vegetables from other chiwogs despite repeated awareness and training given by Gewogs Agriculture Extension officers. So, their main plant, yula and cane products sustainability issues pose threat to their livelihood in future if not harvested with careful sustainable management practices.

 

Farmers with their seeds

The traditional crop species richness and diversity in this Gewogs remained gloomy due to aforementioned reasons and therefore, likelihood of knowing and seeing these crops by our future generation are less optimistic.

Bamboo products weaving

Conclusion

The germplasm exploration and collection of four remaining Gewogs under Zhemgang Dzongkhag was successful completed and all in all covered all eight Gewogs since collection from 2016 January. All stakeholders; local government especially farmers were very positive about our programme and work. Hence we are looking forward to full seeds processing and conservation into our gene bank with all necessary data and information as per the standard protocols.

Pictorial information’s to Germplasm expedition 2019.

Amaranthus caudatus. Source: Mrs.Cheki Wangmo and Mr. Ugyen Phuntsho

Barley in Shingkhar Gewog. Photo courtesy: Mrs. Cheki Wangmo and Mr. Ugyen Phungsho

Finger Millet in Shingkhar, Zhemgang, Finger millet. Photo courtesy: Mrs. Cheki Wangmo ans Mr. Ugyen Phuntsho

Buli Zhemgang.

 Photo Courtesy: All photos under pictorial information are Mrs. Cheki Wangmo and Mr.Ugyen Phuntsho.

                                           

Submitted by: Ms.Cheki Wangmo-Sr. Biodiversity Supervisor II, Mr. Ugyen Phuntsho-Senior Biodiversity Supervisor I, and Mr.Wang Tshering-Biodiversity Supervisor and Mr. Tandin Wangchuk-ESP

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