Once left barren by years of water scarcity, the paddy fields of Nyenyul and Labtsakha are flourishing again. Farmers in Singye Gewog are witnessing a remarkable turnaround this season, thanks to the newly upgraded Mahajan irrigation channel that now delivers a steady flow of water to their lands.
For decades, residents of these villages relied on the Sisti River for irrigation—a source both vital and volatile. During the monsoon, the river swelled into floods, damaging crops and infrastructure. In winter, it often dried up, leaving more than 50 acres of farmland fallow.
That struggle is now a story of the past. Supported by the Green Climate Fund, the gewog administration has completed the construction of a modern intake structure at the Sisti River’s source. The six-kilometre-long pipeline system is built to be climate-resilient, designed to endure floods and landslides while ensuring reliable year-round irrigation.
“Previously, the open irrigation channel lost most of the water before it even reached the fields,” said Singye Gup Jigme. “Now, with the new system, every drop counts — farmers no longer face shortages.”
With dependable water supply restored, optimism is growing among the farmers. They are preparing to diversify beyond paddy, taking advantage of the new conditions to grow off-season vegetables. The gewog has already planned winter cropping initiatives aimed at producing vegetables to meet the growing demand in the nearby Gelephu Mindfulness City, where residents, investors, and workers continue to increase.
“Most of us could cultivate our fields again this year,” said Binod Limbu, a farmer from Nyenyul. “We’re now planning to grow winter crops too — something we couldn’t even imagine before.”
The Nu 40 million Mahajan irrigation project has rejuvenated around 180 acres of wet and dry land, benefiting over 100 households across two chiwogs. Beyond improving livelihoods, the project is seen as a model for climate-resilient rural development in the region.
From parched lands to thriving fields, the transformation in Singye Gewog stands as a powerful reminder of what access to water can achieve — restoring not just farmland, but also the hope and resilience of its farmers.
