Farmers of Buli Village under Nangkor Gewog, Zhemgang now has a Gene Bank to preserve and store seeds of their native crops, which are on the brink of extinction. The Gewog Agriculture Extension Office recently established the facility in the village.
Pointing out the salient features of the Gene Bank, the agriculture extension officials said it has good storage facility to preserve commercially cultivated varieties of crops.
A farmer’s group named ‘Buli Sanam-Nyamsung-Detshen’ has used the Gene Bank to conserve organic seeds of locally grown crops. Some of the members said, the facility will be helpful in maintaining the seeds in good condition, and then market it to other dzongkhags. “The Gene Bank will help us restore and conserve seeds of crops which are famous in our Buli Village. The seeds will them be marketed to other districts as well,” said one of the farmers, Kinley Wangchuk.
Others also have good things to share about the storage bank. “The seeds here were there since our grandparent’s time. Now we don’t have to worry that these seeds will perish sooner or later,” said a member of Gene Bank, Sonam Yangki.
About 38 different seeds have been kept in the bank. Funded by UNDP, the Gene Bank storage project is first of its kind in Zhemgang.
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