January 16, 2026
THIMPHU – Urban and peri-urban farming emerged as a timely solution during the Covid-19 pandemic, boosting local food production near cities, supporting livelihoods, and reducing the country’s reliance on imported vegetables.
Five years on, the model has proven its value in strengthening food security and creating alternative livelihoods. Yet, concerns are increasingly being raised over a lack of continuity, institutional backing, and long-term planning, challenges now confronting both government-led programmes and private enterprises.
In Upper Changbangdu, Thimphu, Kinley Wangmo, founder of Bhutan Hydroponics, has been at the forefront of promoting soil-free farming. Her company produces vegetables, mainly lettuce, for the market through the hydroponic system.
“Hydroponics can help urban communities grow food without land and develop skills like plumbing and energy management,” she said. “But the reality is that awareness is still low, and the cost and technical demands discourage many people.”
She added that during winter, growth slows in polyester greenhouses. “The availability of high-quality seeds remains a challenge.”
During the initial phase, when the company focused solely on lettuce, weak market linkages led to heavy losses. “We had no proper market, and huge quantities of lettuce were discarded,” she said. “We only began generating income in 2024, after we started adding value to our products.”
Demand peaks during summer, when hotels, restaurants, and households require steady supplies. “About 67 bunches of lettuce are required daily,” Kinley Wangmo said. “In such times, we source lettuce from other farmers in Thimphu and even from other dzongkhags.”
Despite these hurdles, Bhutan Hydroponics earns a monthly gross income of about Nu 700,000, with profits of roughly Nu 100,000 after operational costs in dry seasons. However, sales drop significantly in winter, revealing the fragility of urban farming enterprises without sustained support.
“Urban farming has huge potential, but it needs consistent support, quality inputs, and awareness,” Kinley Wangmo said. “Without that, many initiatives will struggle to survive.”
Similar concerns exist within the government-led Urban and Peri-Urban Farming initiative, later renamed the Peri-Urban and Urban Farming programme (PUUF).
Launched in 2020 by the Department of Agriculture as a Covid-19 contingency measure, it targeted unemployed youth and women from the tourism and hospitality sectors while aiming to improve access to fresh food in urban centres.
The Project Coordinator of PUUF, B B Rai, said that the initiative began in urban areas before expanding to peri-urban locations. He said the project was first launched during the pandemic and later expanded to areas such as Kabesa, Bebena, and Genekha in Thimphu, Chamkhar in Bumthang, and Punakha.
Under the first phase, 191 acres of fallow land across five dzongkhags were converted into productive gardens, yielding 112 metric tonnes of vegetables including asparagus, mushrooms, and strawberries. A total of 344 registered youths benefited, with around 300 involved in Thimphu.
“The main objective was to provide relief to youths affected by the pandemic, particularly those living on the outskirts of urban areas,” B B Rai said. “At the same time, it encouraged group work and income generation through high-value crops.”
The National Seed Centre supplied 106 metric tonnes of seed potatoes, 49 metric tonnes of maize, 18 metric tonnes of paddy, 12 metric tonnes of wheat, and 5 metric tonnes of vegetable seeds. In addition, 4 metric tonnes of organic seeds, including beans, quinoa, and buckwheat, and 2 metric tonnes of oilseeds, mainly mustard, were distributed.
Fertiliser support totalling 2,750 metric tonnes and mushroom spawn for shiitake, oyster, nameko, and ganoderma further supported diversification.
Encouraged by early successes, the second phase of PUUF was launched in January 2024 with a budget of Nu 8 million.
Supported under the Technical Co-operation Programme by the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Bhutan Office (FAO), between 2022 and 2024, a budget of Nu 13 million was provided for the project across the target dzongkhags.
The project sought to consolidate lessons learned while promoting hydroponics, mushroom cultivation, strawberries, and asparagus across Thimphu, Punakha, Paro, and Chhukha.
About 100 acres of barren land were leased, and 30 registered groups were engaged for a two-year period, with nearly 200 Thimphu residents registering to establish gardens.
“There are hydroponic setups in Thimphu, shiitake mushroom farms in Chhukha, strawberry farming in Paro, and mushroom cultivation in Punakha,” B B Rai said. “We also initiated asparagus farming in collaboration with the Desuung programme at Pangrizampa.”
In the fiscal year 2024–25, technical support was strengthened through more than 140 Agromet Advisory Bulletins issued to help farmers make timely decisions.
The programme also trained 22 agriculture officers in advanced agrometeorology and engaged 540 stakeholders, including 264 farmers, through nationwide awareness programmes, with support from the FAO, including digital tools and drones.
“There are no additional projects or funding from the government after December 2024,” B B Rai said. “Although Standard Operating Procedures have been developed, continuity depends on future interventions.”