Farmers in Modernity

Local Responses to Agricultural Policy in Bhutan

Abstract

The country of Bhutan, a small Buddhist kingdom in South Asia, is facing a radical transformation as it enters the 21st century. A society that’s mostly agrarian, Bhutan is wrestling with attempts to preserve its traditional farming culture while also developing trade relationships with the outside world. This shift involves the government formulating policy which advances agricultural technology and practices. In response to these events, the central question of this thesis asks: How are farmers responding to agricultural policy in Bhutan? Using primary data gathered through ethnographic research conducted in Paro, Bhutan, I argue that agricultural policies enacted by the government are failing to take hold at a local level. This is due to two reasons: too much potential change to farmers’ routines if they engage with these new policies, and a lack of governmental support in navigating the new technology and seed varieties. As Bhutan engages more and more with external stakeholders, the need for effective policy formulated with a bottom up framework will only become more pressing.