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Generating a Rural Development Policy for Bhutan-Advice;Experiences.
Open till 20 April 2010
Dear members,
Today, Bhutan’s poverty rate is 23.2%, with forty-nine out of fifty of these poverty stricken persons living in rural areas (Poverty Analysis Report 2007 (PAR)), indicating poverty is largely a rural phenomenon in Bhutan.The main challenges faced by the poor living in the Dzongkhags are small land holdings, ill health and low education levels, reliance on subsistence agriculture, food insecurity, scattered settlements, lack of communication facilities, labour shortages and vulnerability to natural disasters and wild animals.
These challenges are resulting in an increasing trend of rural-urban migration. Almost 47% of respondents in 2005 Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) survey reported that rural-urban migration has created acute farm labour shortage. Consequently, land is left fallow, decreasing the agricultural growth and ultimately slowing down development activities in rural areas.
Research indicates that migration would continue even if expected wage levels in urban and rural sectors were equal due to the difference in the
accessibility to goods and services (Pham, 2001).
In the light of this state of affairs, we would like to review the outcome of the 18th annual Dzongdags’ Conference held in March 2010.The Kuensel reported a clear message came out of the conference - the exigency to generate a rural development policy for Bhutan. (To read the articles, click here:
http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=14907 and
http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=14908
Thus, acting as a representative of the academia working toward Rural Development Services, the following questions on developing a rural development policy in Bhutan are raised for your suggestions and feedback. Please share best practices and experiences to the questions below:
What areas do you think the rural development policy needs to encompass?
Do you think this new policy could be applied as a blanket recommendation for all Dzongkhags to underscore the strengths and weaknesses of each Dzongkhag and why?
Which arm of the government do you think is best suited to steer the process once the policy is in place? And given that agency’s current form, what level of decentralization and autonomy would be needed?
Finally, please share any experiences you have had or know of developing policies to promote rural development.Your responses and feedback will facilitate greater exchange of learning to develop appropriate strategies while developing a rural development policy.
Regards,
Samdrup Rigyal
College of Natural Resources
Lobesa, Wangdue
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